Only Towards the Future
by Zenithofthestars
Summary: A group of archeologists work the dig of a lifetime. Or! When Luffy dies, the rest of the Strawhat Pirates need to move on with their lives. (A character study in eight parts)
1. Don't

Chapter 1: Zoro

DON'T

I'm not lost; I'm exactly where I need to be.

* * *

The discovery was one of the most monumental in history, and the monument was just over a meter in diameter. Found by accident, it would have been completely destroyed if the excavator hadn't malfunctioned. Said machine was sitting at the edge of the dig site, casting a shadow over a group of local high school students watching the archeologists slowly remove dirt from around the grave. On a nearby table under a large party tent sat a variety of dirt encrusted items that had already been excavated. The school's resident appraiser was helping another scientist with the cleaning and reconstruction of the artifacts. A translator and his intern were pouring over several letters and old books that had been found in a box.

A junior analyst approached the table and frowned at the ship replica that was in the process of being pieced together. Her eyes darted from one item to the next; a shell, an old amulet, a rusty paring knife, a worn top hat and goggles, ancient sakusaki cups, a straw hat, a compass needle in a glass ball. All of the items were on a cloth and under a glass box to keep the elements from destroying them further.

"Do you see any correlation?" The analyst looked up at the soft voice of the appraiser.

"No," She huffed. "I don't see any connection. I mean, all of these items are significant, but…" She sighed, "But I don't see who they could've belonged to."

"You'll figure it out," The appraiser said with a laugh. "I'm Rachel," Rachel reached over the table and offered her a hand.

"Nicole," Nicole shook the offered hand, ignoring the dirt. "What are you working on right now?"

Rachel gestured to the reconstruction process, the other scientist bent over the port side of the model with tweezers, "We think this ship is a model of the one he sailed on. That's the only explanation we are able to come up with at this point in time. Felix seems enthusiastic about the idea, so that's what we're running with so far."

Nicole nodded and leaned down to get a better look. "You seem to be putting it together rather quickly. How many hours have you put in so far?"

"About thirty," Rachel replied. "We managed to get permission to keep the items here instead of transporting them back to Sabaody University, so we're taking advantage of that time to do our research."

Nicole nodded, "That's great. I'll let you get back to work."

"Please, don't hesitate to ask us if you have any more questions. I'm sure once Felix comes out of his zone he'll be full of fun facts." Rachel smiled as Nicole turned away and walked back to the excavation site.

"Hey Seth," She greeted one of the diggers. "Have you got anything?"

Seth looked up, blinking a few times, and then grinned, "Ah! Nicole! As it just so happens, I have found something. It'll take a few hours to uncover the rest of it, but I think it's a sword sheath."

"A sword?" Nicole said. "If you're right, we might be able to identify it! That's great! Keep digging."

"Anything you say!" Seth picked up a trowel and started digging with a renewed vigour.

Nicole wandered back over to the tent, stepping around the translators, and took a seat. The gravesite had been discovered only a couple of weeks earlier, on a nondescript island in the East Blue. Normally, a grave that old would be overlooked and removed when the city decided to expand, but the name on this particular grave changed everything.

Monkey D. Luffy was the second and last pirate king to ever sail the waters of the Grand Line. Having been crowned at just twenty years of age, he tore the world to pieces during his reign and his death was one of the biggest mysteries of that era. He wasn't executed, but there's no way we would have settled down to die of old age. And the fact his grave was found in the weakest sea also brought forward more questions than they had answers for.

Nicole rubbed her temples and grimaced.

"You alright?"

Nicole looked up to see the translator's intern standing over her and holding an unopened water bottle. He held it out to her, and she took it gratefully. "I'm just thinking about the amount of work I still have to do," She told him.

The intern grinned, "I don't envy your position."

"Really? I would have thought that your job was harder. You've got to translate the old tongue."

"It's not that hard. My boss says I've got a knack for it. Of course, after a few years of study, I'm completely fluent!" He straightened up and crossed his arms, "I could be dropped in the middle of the Great Pirate Era and make my way fine. I'd probably have found the One Piece in a year, tops."

"Stop lying and leave her alone!" The translator shouted from the other side of the tent.

Nicole laughed at the intern's crestfallen expression, "He's right, you wouldn't have made Pirate King. Maybe an Emperor, tops," She told him with a grin. "My name is Nicole, who're you?"

"Eugene," He said, matching her smile. "I need to get back, but it was nice talking to you."

Nicole nodded, and when he left she grabbed her laptop and started typing up a preliminary log for the day. Just after lunch the item Seth was working on was completely unearthed and brought to the tent. His initial identification of a sword was correct. The blade had rusted to the inside of the sheath, making it impossible to remove, but the hilt and sheath were enough to identify it, and one of the diggers who also specialized in ancient weaponry was the one who uttered its name with reverence.

"The Wado Ichimonji," Zack stared with awe at the white blade. "One of Roronoa Zoro's swords. He used it alongside Yubashiri, Sandai Kitetsu, and Shusui."

Both Rachel and Felix were staring at the young man with hopeful shock. "Are you positive?" Rachel asked.

Zack nodded, "I was raised by a sword appraiser. I've studied the weapons of the Great Pirate Era extensively. There's no way that's not it."

"It makes sense," Eugene murmured, and eeped when everyone turned to him.

"Explain," Rachel said, the request edging on a demand. Her hands fluttered above the sword, almost afraid to touch it.

"Ah, well, I mean… He was the first mate of the Strawhat Pirates, right? And, and this… it's his captain's grave. So if he outlived his captain he might've left behind a keepsake or something… Right?"

"That does makes sense," Felix said. "That makes a lot of sense. If we apply that logic to the rest of the stuff we've dug up–"

"–Everything here belonged to someone who was connected to Strawhat Luffy!" Rachel finished. She turned back to the table, the seemingly random assortment of artifacts laying innocently before them. "This discovery… If we can connect the pieces we may just be able to determine what happened during his reign! You," She grabbed Eugene's wrist, "Are now my assistant. Sorry Henry, I'm stealing your intern for the time being."

Eugene was dragged away as he looked over his shoulder at his boss, who just stood there and laughed. Nicole bit her lip and stared at the sword. The ship being put together, and now the sword. This was going to be an interesting month. A couple days later Rachel called a meeting with the ones who unearthed the blade, as well as a young Ph.D. student named Carter who had arrived on the island the day before.

"We've started piecing together the footsteps of Roronoa Zoro during his time as a pirate," Rachel said, once everyone was present. "Carter brought some old archives from the university when he arrived, and they've helped immensely when comparing dates and actions."

"There's something really strange surrounding the Strawhat Pirates," Eugene took over for Rachel. "Reports that don't add up, sightings that are falsely reported. It doesn't help that the information we're working with is over a thousand years old and may be subject to bias, but this is what we've got so far." He tossed a folder full of photocopies and printouts onto the table, and Rachel began to speak.

* * *

The day had started out with a light drizzle, but by mid-morning it had cleared up. A black haired young man with a sword on his hip and a pack on his back wandered through the streets of a small fishing town. He couldn't remember the name of the island, but he really didn't care to learn it. As long as he could find the harbour and hitch a ride further into the Grand Line, he'd be happy.

But first, he had to find the goddamn harbour.

Zoro stopped in the middle of the street and narrowed his eyes at the inn he had stayed at the night before. Why they insisted on moving the stupid place was a mystery to him, but it was getting annoying. This was the third time he had passed the building that morning. He needed to get to the harbour before the ships left port, or he'd have to wait another day to leave the island.

Where the hell was it? He could see the ships from his window! Finally, he grabbed a nearby fisherman from the crowd and asked for directions. The directions made no sense, but the fisherman was heading there anyway so he just followed the old man.

"Oi. You wouldn't know of any ships that are setting sail, would you?"

"Hmm, there are a couple that are carrying stock. I'm sure if you asked they wouldn't mind a few extra hands aboard. They're down at the end of the dock," The old man pointed towards several ships flying the dark blue flag of a cargo ship.

"Thanks," Zoro said, and kept his eye on the flag until he stood in front of the ship.

He found the owner of the ship on the gangway, supervising the loading. He was glad to accommodate Zoro in exchange for work, so he dropped off his bag in the barracks and started loading cargo. The ship set sail just after noon, set for an island chain about a month away. After the departure, there wasn't much for the crew to do, besides occasionally adjusting the sails. Several younger members on board were at the bow, staring at the waves and chattering excitedly amongst themselves (of course, most of them were the same age as him, but he refused to admit that those immature brats were on the same level as him). Zoro hung back, sitting against the railing and wishing he had some booze.

"You not excited about setting sail?" A shadow crossed over Zoro's face and he looked up at the captain of the ship.

"Not exactly," Zoro said. "I've been sailing for a while. After a while, this kind of thing gets boring."

The captain laughed, "Figured. You knew what you were doing up in the rigging. Any chance you'd consider becoming a regular member of my crew?"

"Sorry old man, I've got other obligations."

"Ship hopping is dangerous you know," The captain warned.

"I can defend myself," Zoro replied, his hand lowering to rest on the hilt of his sword.

The captain raised an eyebrow, "You're only dangerous to others if you know how to use it. Otherwise you'd just get yourself killed."

"Don't underestimate me," Zoro said.

The captain shrugged, "So what's your name."

Zoro hesitated for a moment. He couldn't give his own name, that would be a dead giveaway, and he didn't know if he could trust this old man just yet. "It's… Zeke."

"Well, Zeke, I'm Dustin. Please refrain from killing anyone who pisses you off, and I think we'll get along just fine." He left Zoro to his nap and approached the crowd at the bow.

...

Meals were the busiest time on the ship, apart from unloading and unloading at port. Chores were divvied up among the new additions on the ship. Zoro avoided meal prep the best he could, preferring to wash dishes and help with the cleanup. Since it was easier to peel potatoes than scrub grease he normally had no trouble trading. But sometimes he didn't get so lucky.

Zoro fumbled with the knife for the third time, and he cursed loudly. A couple of other crewmembers laughed at him. "Wow, so is that sword you carry around just for show?"

"Screw off, curl… Nevermind. Shut up." Zoro repositioned the knife and managed to remove a section of potato skin.

"I'm leaning how to use a sword," The kid continued. "It's rather daunting work, isn't it. I'd love to get my hands on a named blade. Hey, is it true that if you kill another swordsman you can take their blade?"

Zoro's hand tightened on the knife. "No."

"What, really? That sucks! Well, I'm sure a lot of people do it anyway, I mean, the guy is dead. He won't care."

"People who do that have no honour for themselves and no respect for their opponent," Zoro said. "It's not acceptable, and if another swordsman found you, they'd cut you down where you stood."

The three others in the room were looking on curiously now. "That's actually kinda interesting," A blond boy said. "Where'd you learn that?"

"A teacher," Zoro said shortly, not raising his eyes from his potato.

"Can you tell us more?" The same blond kid asked. "How long have you been practicing?"

"Nearly my whole life," Zoro answered truthfully. "I was raised at a dojo."

"Cool," the blond kid said cheerfully.

"Do you practice?" Zoro asked, and the kid shook his head.

"Nope. Kinda wish I learned though. There's so much going on in the world, it would let me sleep a little easier if I could defend myself."

"You for hire?" The earlier boy commented.

"What's your name?" Zoro asked.

"Uh… Why?"

"I like to know the names of the people who piss me off," Zoro said. "Makes tracking them down later much easier."

The kid snorted, looking a little wary, but he answered anyway. "Jasper. You're Zeke, right?"

Zoro didn't confirm it, but he turned to the blond kid, "And what's your name?"

"Vinny."

Zoro nodded. "Good to meet you."

That night, Zoro crept away from the crowd and stood at the railing by the stern of the ship. He listened to the general noise from the galley, flicked on the golden lighter he stole from the cook (because pissing him off one last time was hilarious), and tried to imagine that he was back on the Thousand Sunny. The warm wind was comforting, and welcoming. When he closed his eyes, he could imagine them all together again. It had been less than a year since him and the rest of the crew parted ways, and just over a year since – he shook his head violently, trying to dispel the thoughts before they could form.

Footsteps brought him out of his thoughts. Usually he would be annoyed at having his solitude interrupted, but it was welcome right now. He shoved the lighter back in his pocket and turned to meet the person approaching.

"I'm surprised you're out here by yourself," Dustin said.

"Too many people," Zoro said simply.

"Oh? I would've thought that an experienced sailor like yourself would be used to this kind of setup."

"I've only ever sailed on one ship before this," Zoro said, tilting his head back to look up at the moon. "And there were only nine of us. I'll admit we could get pretty loud, especially with the shitty captain shouting for meat or the sea-witch yelling at him and the shitty cook."

"Sounds like an interesting group of people. I'm curious, though, you seem to have plenty of sailing experience, but you don't seem to be a merchant or marine."

"That's right."

"You were a pirate then?"

"Is that going to change anything?"

Dustin laughed, "No, lad. I figured that's what you were. A few of my senior sailors used to be pirates as well. I've also got a couple retired marines."

Zoro turned to look at the old man. His silver hair and bushy beard moved with the breeze, and his kind brown eyes watched Zoro patiently. "What are you waiting for?"

He shrugged, "Anything. I'm surprised you didn't react to me mentioning marines. You're young, so you would've had to have left your crew just recently, right?"

Zoro sighed, "Not even a year yet."

"I see. That must have been hard."

"Course it was hard. Fuck, I wouldn't even mind running into the shitty cook right now. Just… I miss seeing their faces. They were familiar. You aren't. No offence."

"None taken. I take it you want to be left alone?"

"Yeah."

"I'll leave you to it then." He turned to leave, and paused just before turning a corner, "But if you ever do want to talk, I'm very good at keeping secrets."

...

"Maybe I'll become a pirate," Jasper said. Him and several others were on the forward deck, taking advantage of the good weather after a storm the night before. "Think I could pull it off?" He struck a pose, one hand on his hip and the other pointed to the air. Zoro, lounging against the outer galley wall, snorted into his drink and started laughing. Jasper narrowed his eyes at him, "What, you think you could do better?"

"Fuck yeah." Zoro wiped his chin. "You have a long way to go before you even have an inkling of a chance."

"And you can do better?!" Jasper glared at Zoro. "What, are you a pirate? Is that why you think you can do better than me? Unless you have a bounty, you can't say shit. And I ain't ever heard of a pirate calling himself Zeke!"

"I never said Zeke was my real name," Zoro said, taking a swig of sake.

That brought Jasper up short. "Zeke's not your name? Then what is it?"

"None of your business," Zoro said.

"I'm sure the captain would love to know that he has a pirate aboard his ship. Especially one who lies about his name."

Zoro raised an eyebrow, "You think I'm the only one on this ship? I'll admit that I am the youngest, but I'm hardly the only."

"And, I already know who he is." Dustin appeared beside Zoro, and stood in the galley doorway. "And a friendly warning, those who exist around pirates and tattle often don't have long to live." Jasper paled significantly and started stammering excuses. Dustin ignored him and addressed the rest of the crew, "We're approaching the Nuiss Chain. Get ready to dock."

Throughout docking and unloading the shipment, Jasper kept well away from Zoro. The pirate didn't care; it made for a less stressful departure. Dustin had confirmed that he was going to be heading back toward the Twin Capes. Zoro didn't want to head back. He needed to keep moving forward.

"I don't suppose there's any way I could convince you to stay aboard, is there?" Dustin asked, when he approached Zoro with his pay.

"Sorry, old man. Like I said before, I have other obligations. I still have a duty to my captain."

Dustin sighed, but nodded. "I understand." He handed Zoro the envelope. "Well, I have to admit I knew I had little chance of actually convincing you to stay. A pirate of your calibre wouldn't want to spend the rest of his life on a cargo ship. Especially when he's reached Raftel." Zoro jerked his head up, eyes narrowed and mouth pulled into a tight scowl. "Relax, my boy, I told you I'm good at keeping secrets."

Zoro slowly slid out of the defensive stance, but his frame was still tense. "What gave it away?"

Dustin grinned, "My granddaughter has a massive crush on a certain pirate. She has all of his wanted posters hung up on her walls. I see those posters whenever I visit home, and she'll talk my ear off about him if she gets the chance. I'd probably insult her if I didn't recognize you, even if you did change your hair colour."

Zoro sighed, tucked the envelope into his hakamari, and ran a hand through his hair, "It's the best I could do on short notice."

"Don't forget to dye your eyebrows, too, then. Green eyebrows would give it away too, especially with that scar on your eye."

Zoro looked embarrassed, but he did nod at the suggestion. "I – thanks, old man."

"Keep in touch," Dustin said. "I've had my adventures, it'd be nice to hear about someone else's. Besides, you put up with those idiots badgering you all the time; I thought you'd like to talk to someone a little more experienced. I was actually waiting for you to snap and reveal yourself to them."

"Nah," Zoro waved his hand dismissively. "As much as I'd like to see them shit their pants in fear, I can't. Wasn't even gonna tell you, old man. Besides, I'm a lot more patient than people assume. I've had a lot of practice dealing with the people on my crew."

"Well, I am glad my granddaughter chose a good role model. She admires everyone in your crew."

The unspoken question hung in the air, and Zoro chose not to answer it. Instead, he said, "I'm sure they would appreciate the compliment."

Dustin didn't press any further, to Zoro's relief. "It was an honour to meet you," he held out a hand.

"I'm a pirate. Infamous, not famous." Zoro took the hand anyway.

"That doesn't mean I don't respect you. Less people are oblivious to your deeds than they'll have you believe. Remember that."

Zoro winced slightly, his hand coming down to rest on the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji. "I will. Thank you. That means a lot."

Dustin nodded once, and then they parted.

...

The Nuiss Chain had two main islands that were connected by a large bridge, and a series of smaller islands trailing towards the east, much like the tail of a comet. Only the two main islands were inhabited; the rest were barren and rocky or covered in scraggly trees. It would be a perfect place to continue his training.

He already knew he wasn't strong enough yet. The fact burned in his chest, along with the shame of hiding. If he had his way, he wouldn't be in this position right now. Of course, if he had his way, his captain wouldn't be dead either. The sting of loss burned through his body, a sharp, raw sensation that left him feeling vulnerable and defeated. He hated this feeling. He dug his fingers into his left forearm, fingernails pressing down on an x shaped scar that hadn't been given an opportunity to heal yet.

Blood dripped down his fingers, and he was glad he was alone. But at the same time, he really wished he wasn't. He wanted to see them all again, but he didn't deserve to. He wasn't strong enough to save his friend. He had failed in his duty as first mate to save his captain.

Zoro swore quietly, gnawing on his bottom lip. He shouldn't be thinking like that. He knew Luffy would have been disappointed to know what Zoro was thinking. No. He had to keep moving forward. Away from the past. That couldn't be changed. But right now he had the chance to shape his future.

He bought a small fishing boat once he made it to the secondary docks on the eastern edge of the island (he wasn't going to admit how long it took him to get there), and picked one of the islands in the chain. It was close enough to the islands for him to see it, but far enough not to be disturbed.

And then he trained.

It took a while, but he fell into a routine. He spent most of his time on the rock that could barely pass for an island. He would paddle to the mainland when he ran out of food to restock. And then he got a job at a local dojo when he ran out of money.

It was after he got the job that his routine started to change. He kept his hair black, to keep off of the radar (he gave up on trying to dye his eyebrows when his last attempt ended with his face covered in stains that didn't come off for a week). He was invited out for drinks one night by the owner of the dojo and a couple other teachers. Then he began to make friends with the parents of the kids he taught.

This new life he had fallen into was pleasant and quiet, and he could see who someone would be content staying in one place for so long. He'd even admit to himself that he enjoyed it as well. He had never considered this kind of life before, his stubbornness and his promise to Kuina getting in the way. And then he met Luffy, which tore apart any semblance of normalcy.

Despite this, he kept up with his strict training, and he never forgot about his crew or his captain. But it was getting easier to think about them without feeling sad. His scar was finally given a chance to scar over, leaving permanent red lines on his skin, his one connection to his captain and crew.

As the months turned into years, his training continued to improve his skills. He earned his confidence back. His strikes were precise, and no longer held any hesitation. He was Roronoa Zoro. First mate to the pirate king. He couldn't be an embarrassment.

His coworkers surprised him with a party on his twenty-fifth birthday. Zoro was sufficiently surprised, since the last time he had celebrated his birthday was three years ago when he turned twenty-two, back on the Thousand Sunny.

His students, five of them, led him to the table set up in the main lobby of the dojo. "Do you like the cake?" His oldest student, Jin, asked. Her grin was threatening to split her face, and her cheeks were red.

"We all helped decorate it!" Jin's brother, Haru, piped up.

Zoro took a second to look at the cake. 'Happy Birthday Zeke' was written on the top with icing, in barely legible scrawl. Beneath it there was a bunch of green and black icing, and it was only after years of deciphering Luffy's drawings that he was able to figure out what it was supposed to be.

"Is… Is that supposed to be me… As Roronoa Zoro?"

His students all lit up and shouted 'YEAH!"

Tate tugged on his sleeve, "It's because you're just as good as him!"

A couple of the parents laughed, and Zoro had to smile. "Thank you."

* * *

"So you think that after Strawhat died, Roronoa went into hiding?" Zack said. "I don't know, that doesn't sound like something a swordsman would do."

"Well, that's what makes the most sense," Eugene argued back. "He would have been hunted. At this point, I doubt he's taken down Mihawk, so he hasn't become the best swordsman in the world."

"So don't hide, wait out in the open for Mihawk to come to him!"

"Dude, I doubt Mihawk would take the effort to go find him. Mihawk is already the best swordsman in the world; he had no reason to go after people who are weaker than him." Zack bristled, but Eugene ignored him and continued on. "Besides, do you think Roronoa would have been ready? Even if he was physically strong enough, would he have been strong enough mentally? Come on, he just lost his captain. That would put strain on anyone."

"He has a point," Rachel said. "We've been comparing old records that detailed his movements, and this seems like the most likely outcome. There is a rather large stretch of years where he was unheard from, before re-emerging. He hid himself while he trained and got stronger. And then he went after Mihawk's title."

Zack muttered under his breath as the others around the table seemed to accept the explanation.

"What I don't understand is the timeline," Rachel continued. "If these dates are correct, that would mean that Strawhat Luffy died rather young. Between nineteen and twenty-three years of age."

Eugene reached for the letterbox and picked out the top letter. "This is a letter to Luffy from Zoro," He told the group. "It's dated February nineteenth, fifteen-thirty-two. If my translations are correct, it details his fight against Mihawk, his regret for Luffy's death, and his plans to travel to Skypia to raise a family. Strawhat Luffy would have been twenty-six at this point. That means he died before that. The dates match, and Roronoa Zoro's grave was found on Slypia. The continuity is nearly impossible to deny. The pirate king died young."

There's a long silence as they process the new information given to them. "How old exactly?"

"I don't know yet." Eugene admits, shuffling through some of the copies of the letters he had. "I'll find out, though. I will."

"Alright," Nicole said, taking back charge of the meeting. "So this fight, what happened after that?"

* * *

The birthday party was a wakeup call. Zoro had fallen into his identity as Zeke by continuously telling himself that he wasn't ready to face Mihawk yet. But that wasn't true. Zoro had been ready for a long time. He just didn't want to leave. Once he fulfilled his promise to Luffy, he wouldn't have that connection anymore. Their dreams are what kept them all together. If he completed his… What would he do next?

He had imagined, once, that when he defeated Mihawk he would stay aboard the Thousand Sunny and travel with the crew until everyone had completed their dreams. He knew it would take a lifetime, because Nami wanted to draw a map of the entire world, and that wouldn't be just a side trip.

In the end, the decision to leave was made for him. His regular correspondence to Dustin had stopped, and he doubted it was a coincidence that the old man mentioned he was getting sick in his last letter. He couldn't write to him and ask for advice, or ask for an excuse. He handed in his resignation letter just after his twenty seventh birthday, once his students had graduated and moved on to the next level.

Shiroda took the letter, read the first line, and lowered it again. The owner of the dojo looked mildly disappointed as he asked why.

"I made a promise a long time ago, and I can't fulfill it here."

"I see," Shiroda said. "The kids are going to miss you."

"I'll miss them, too," Zoro admitted. After over four years on the island, they had grown on him. Before his time on the island, he had limited contact with children, as long as you didn't count Luffy and Chopper.

"When you complete your promise, will you return?"

"I don't know. There's a chance I won't survive."

Shiroda's eyes widened, more at the calm tone Zoro was using than the actual content. "What will you be doing that you'd risk your life?"

Zoro chuckled, "Heh, following the ambitions of any overconfident swordsman."

"Go after Dracule Mihawk, you mean," Shiroda deadpanned.

"Yes."

Shiroda tapped his fingers against the wood of his desk, "And who is so important that you would agree to this suicide mission to keep a promise?"

Zoro hesitated, and Shiroda raised an expectant eyebrow.

"He died for us."

"I doubt he would want you to kill yourself to repay his sacrifice."

Zoro shook his head, "It's not that simple."

"Mihawk is a monster. The rumors say that not even Roronoa Zoro can defeat him."

"I bet the rumors don't say that they've only ever dueled once," Zoro muttered.

"Excuse me?"

Zoro was silent for a moment, and then he reached into his sword case. He withdrew a single sheathed blade and placed it in front of Shiroda. The man took one look at the sword and his jaw dropped. "This… Do you know what this is? Where did you get it?"

"It's been mine since I was nine."

"This is the Wado Ichimonji! This sword belongs to–" He cut himself off. "Roronoa Zoro. This is your blade. I assume that is your name?"

Zoro simply nodded.

Shiroda met Zoro's one eyed gaze, brown against green. "You've been keeping a very big secret from us."

"It was for protection."

"Ours? Or yours?"

"Both."

"I understand."

"I'm leaving next week."

...

He left the same way he arrived. He even ran into Jasper on the ship that he boarded. "Still haven't become a pirate?"

"Shut up!"

Five weeks at sea presented him with the news that Dracule Mihawk had given up his status as a Warlord, and he was a wanted man again. After hearing the news, Zoro followed the papers with a near religious determination. This brought teasing from the others on the ship. Most of the time he ignored it. They weren't as annoying as the cook and there was no way anyone would win in a fight against him.

In a moment of nostalgia he remembered the last time he and curly-brow had gotten into a fight. It was more than six years ago now, and over the stupidest thing. He'd never admit it out loud, but he missed the cook. He missed the stupid fights that always ended in Nami yelling at them. He even missed the food. What wouldn't he give to have everything back the way it was? Or even to have just one more night together.

Sanji at the stove, preparing a snack or drink for the girls. Nami writing in the log book, occasionally looking up to ask a question or offer a comment about the day. Robin in the corner reading, with that mysterious smile on her face. Franky working on something, either his own body, or a project, or blueprints, with parts spread out on the floor after Sanji yelled at him for getting grease on the table. Usopp would be between Luffy and Chopper, telling some wold story with loud voices and exaggerated hand gestures. Chopper would be listening with rapt attention. Luffy would be laughing as he listened, even offering his own ideas. Brook would be playing his violin, or bugging Franky about getting a piano for the ship. And him. He would be sitting to the side with a bottle of warm sake, eyes closed, but still very much aware of what was going on around him.

He would have given anything to get those days back. But that was impossible. So he would do the next best thing. Keep his captain's dream alive.

...

More sightings of Mihawk showed up in papers, and in rumors. Once the other members of the crew realized he was serious about fighting Mihawk (after witnessing him bench-pressing a fuckton of crates in the storage hold) they started helping him determine Mihawk's location using a map and his supposed sightings.

It's not that much later that Zoro feels a familiar presence in the direction of an uninhabited island just on the horizon. And Zoro knew it was time. He had the chance right now, to tell the captain of the ship to turn tail and run. And he did, but he didn't go with them. They don't believe him at first. They laugh, and he takes his bandana off and pulls out his three swords. His hair has grown out again, no longer black but back to its original green. Hair dye was hard to come by at sea and his bandana works well enough when he has an excuse to wear it. They shut up pretty quickly after that and finally listen to him when he tells them to get the fuck out of here.

He takes a longboat and follows the constant thrumming of Mihawk's haki. He knows the fight is waiting for him just on the edge of the horizon.

Mihawk isn't on the beach when he arrives. He shows up the next morning as the sun is rising. It's given Zoro enough time to prepare. When Mihawk steps out of the underbrush, Zoro greets him with his bandana on and swords out. His sheaths are under the longboat he pulled up the beach, safely on the edge of the forest and out of the way of the fight.

They don't say anything. Mihawk just nods once, acknowledging his drive to fight, and starts moving. Zoro moves too, and the two men start circling each other. Mihawk struck first, a simple blow to test the waters, and Zoro parried. Several more, Zoro initiating the next one, and Mihawk striking a third time an drawing first blood.

And then the real right began.

Their fight lasted for the better part of four days, both of them struggling against each other tirelessly, but slowly decreasing in strength. Exhaustion and dehydration were setting in, to go along with the myriad of cuts, gashes, and bruises. Their clothing and hair was soaked through with sweat and blood, and blood covered the sand, making it sticky and slippery. Keeping upright became a challenge.

Zoro grunted as he was forced back and he shifted his grip on Sandai Kitetsu, hearing the blade sing as it slashed through skin and blood. He ground his teeth, wearing into the hilt of his Wado Ichimonji. He stared critically at Mihawk, who stared back impassively. He knew their fight was coming to an end. He only had the strength left for one more attack. This would be it. One more strike would determine a winner. If Mihawk won, he would keep the title of world's best swordsman and Zoro would die.

He shifted to the left, and spared a second of the stalemate to glimpse the x on his left arm. His link to his crew. It was mostly hidden beneath a stream of blood, but he knew it was there.

He didn't want to die, Zoro realized. Zoro didn't want to die. He wanted to win, and become the world's best swordsman. He wanted to win, and live. He wanted adventure again, and he also wanted to settle down and open a dojo. He had so many options. He could see Dustin telling him about his granddaughter looking up to him. He could see Jin's and Haru's and Tate's faces looking up at him in excitement when he showed them a new kata or move. He could see Kuina's face, her laughing and saying 'go get him, Zoro'. He could see Luffy smiling at him, letting him know that everything was going to be okay.

Zoro would die if he lost. And if he was dead, he would never be able to achieve anything else. So he wouldn't die. He shifted again, held up his sword, and struck.

* * *

"This is all so interesting," Carter exclaimed, shuffling through the old sightings and pulling out a recreation of Mihawk's wanted poster from beneath a photocopy of a newspaper.

"Hold up, Roronoa Zoro used three swords, right?" Seth asked. "How the hell did he hold the third one?"

"His mouth," Zack answered.

"That's just a stupid legend; I was asking the lovely Rachel. Shut your trap and let her speak."

"Well, him holding his third sword in his mouth is a popular legend. It is also rumored that he only used two at a time. That seems the likelier scenario. I don't see how his jaw muscles would have kept under the constant stress and weight of the blade, and any force above fifty pounds can break it. Any fight would have been delivering blows much above that." Rachel sighed, "I'd love to get my hands on his remains to examine his jaw, because he must have been training since he was very young to be able to withstand that pressure. It's a shame the Shandorians won't let us onto their sacred ground where he's buried."

"There are teeth marks on the hilt of the blade we found," Zack pointed out.

"I found," Seth muttered.

"Shut it."

"You shut it!"

"Stop it, both of you," Nami sighed.

"There are, but that is little proof. Those may have been put there by any number of factors. Holding the blade in one's mouth while sheathing the other two, or while switching swords. Or they may have been put there post mortem to encourage that rumor."

"Either way, he used three swords and was in possession of three named swords and a cursed blade in his lifetime." Rachel said. "We can confirm the rumors later with better evidence."

* * *

Mihawk coughed out a mouthful of blood. His sword hit the sand with a muffled thump, and he went slack against Zoro, the hilt of Sandai Kitetsu the only thing keeping him up.

Zoro slowly lowered the man to the ground, and knelt next to him when his legs refused to continue supporting him. Blood, warm and wet, began dripping across Zoro's hand. Mihawk coughed again, a wet rattling sound, and he managed a grin that looked more like a grimace.

"Well, kid, you finally did it."

"I had a promise to keep," Zoro said.

"Of course you did," Mihawk wheezed. "You're the one with friends. I'm glad you won. You've got a future ahead of you. Not me."

"I do."

"I bet your captain is proud."

"I hope so."

"If you see Perona, give her my regards."

"And give Luffy mine."

Mihawk coughed again, weaker this time, and managed a startled look. "So that is why… You have my word, Roronoa Zoro. I will." He grapsed the hilt of Zoro's blade, still in his chest, and pulled it out. Blood gushed from the wound, a red waterfall, and he bled out in seconds. His body fell away from Zoro, and he ended up sprawled on the sand in a halo of red. His already pale features became even more so, and his eyes stared blankly at the sky.

Dawn was approaching, Zoro realized. The sun, just peeking over the horizon now shone red against the sand. Or was that just blood. Maybe it was both. Zoro stared blankly at the body for a long time. He won. He defeated the world's best swordsman. And that title now belonged to him. He didn't feel victorious. He had always imagined at this point, the rest of the crew would show up. Chopper fussing over his injuries, Sanji making a scathing comment, Robin talking about historical significance, and Luffy… And Luffy would have just smiled at him, in his own special way, and say "good job, Zoro. I knew you would do it."

He would be happy, he realized, even if he died today. And then suddenly it was all worth it.

But they weren't there. He was tired. Zoro reached out, moving slowly and automatically at this point. He arranged Mihawk's body, straightening it, placing his sword on his chest and folding his hands over the hilt, and closing his eyes. Then, he turned away from the body. Firewood. He needed firewood.

He dragged what driftwood he could find down to the scene of the fight, and built a pyre. Then he used Sanji's lighter to set the pyre ablaze. Mihawk was a worthy opponent. He deserved a proper send-off.

As it burned, he turned and walked away from the bloody sand. He walked until he could feel the warm sand beneath his feet, clean of their fight. And that's where he collapsed, face down. It was warm. The sun washed over him, he could hear the waves and the rustling of wind through the trees. This would be a good place to die.

...

"Hey, you need to check this out!"

"You found the source of the disturbance?"

"Yeah. And you're not going to believe what it is!"

"What are you going to do with him? Is he even still alive?"

"Barely. Looks like he fought someone. Who?"

"Mihawk's ship was found on the other side of the island."

"Is that's whose body was in the pyre?"

"Shut up, Roronoa is going to die if he doesn't get treated soon."

"Get those cuts stitched up now!"

"Why the hell are we patching up this guy? He's the Pirate King's first mate!"

"Who the hell knows, orders are orders."

"What's going to happen to him after this, I wonder…"

...

When Zoro finally stayed conscious for more than a few moments, it took him a minute to realize he as still alive. He took stock of his injuries, wiggling his fingers and toes, shifting his arms and legs, and trying to sit up. Bandages covered most of his body, blood still leaking from underneath the stark white in a few places. The cot he was on was lumpy, and a thin blanket was pulled up to his torso. He glanced around the room he was in and noted the bars. HE was in a cell. Zoro snorted; marines then.

The room seemed to be moving, which meant he was on a ship. The cell was more than likely locked and he could barely move at the moment. Escape seemed near impossible at the moment so he didn't even waste the brainpower trying to think of an escape plan. He closed his eyes and napped for a bit.

He was woken by loud footsteps approaching the door outside of the cell. He opened is eye and watched the door as it creaked open and a slim figure walked in. He recognized her, he realized with a start. Tashigi. Oh, great.

She was carrying medical supplies, and he continued watching as she moved about outside the cell, gathering a bowl, bandages, and other medical supplies. When she finally moved towards the cell and caught Zoro staring at her, she squeaked and dropped the bowl. It hit the wooden floor with a loud thud and the bandages spilled out of it.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON DOWN THERE TASHIGI?!" Zoro recognized Smoker's voice as it echoed down the stairwell and through the still open door.

"Nothing!" Tashigi called back. "I just dropped a bowl."

"Be more careful!" Was the response.

Tashigi closed the door and looked back at Zoro. "You're awake."

Zoro raised an eyebrow at the obvious statement. Tashigi flushed and bent down to gather the fallen materials. She tossed the bandages in a bin and retrieved new ones, before slowly walking over to the cell door. Her face was still a bright red as she said, "I need to change your bandages." It was phrased like a question, as if she were asking permission. When Zoro nodded minutely she bustled forward and began unwinding the bandages around his left arm.

She worked in silence for a few moments, occasionally glancing up at Zoro's face before jerking her eyes back to her task. Finally, Zoro broke the awkward silence by asking a question, "Why am I alive?"

Tashigi bit her lip, "I can't tell you."

"DAMNIT!" Zoro exploded, and Tashigi jumped. "I fully expected to die there, and you marines bring be back. I deserve an explanation."

Tashigi looked up at the closed door, as if expecting someone to jump out, and then sighed. "They still need you alive."

"Why?" Zoro demanded."

"I don't know!" Tashigi exclaimed. "Really, I don't. The only person aboard this ship who knows is Smoker.

Zoro glared at the door angrily, and Tashigi returned to changing bandages. She worked quickly and silently, tidying up and leaving, returning an hour later with food. A tray of vegetable broth, water, and bread was placed on his lap.

"They really do want me alive," Zoro grumbled, and started eating.

"Well, you are the Pirate King's first mate." Tashigi pointed out. "I don't know why they want you alive, but they're probably going to give you a public execution to draw out your captain. Just like they did with Fire Fist and Whitebeard.

Zoro narrowed his eyes, "Cowards."

"I know," Tashigi agreed, and looked away when Zoro jerked his head to look at her. "I don't agree with these methods. It's cowardly. But, why aren't you with Luffy? I'm surprised he even let it get this far. We've nearly tripled watches and haven't seen a thing."

"Like I'd tell a marine," Zoro growled.

Tashigi huffed and grabbed the empty tray, stomping out of the room angrily. Zoro stared after her, confused.

...

The same pattern continued. Tashigi would bring him his meals and try to get information out of him. Zoro would answer her questions as confusingly as possible just to frustrate her and most of the time she would leave angry.

"I just want to know!" She shouted at him one day. "Is that too difficult to understand? I'm not going to tell Smoker!"

"Right, because trusting the second in command of a marine ship that _I am currently held captive on_ is the best thing to do in my position!" Zoro shot back.

Tashigi stood up, knocking her chair back. "For fucks sake, this isn't about him, or this! You seem depressed, and I was just trying to help!"

"I don't want help from some damn marine who wants me dead!"

Tashigi just stared at him for a long moment, tears gathering in her eyes. She whirled around and stormed away, slamming the door behind her.

...

It was a few days later that Zoro was able to take off his bandages for good. The cuts were still scabbed over but there was no more risk of him tearing them open again. That was also the day Tashigi brought him some interesting news.

"I discovered why they want you alive," She told him in a hushed voice.

"It's to try and draw out Luffy, right?" Zoro said, offhandedly. "I can assure you, he won't come."

"They're going to offer you the chance to become a Warlord. They want you to take Mihawk's place."

Zoro stared at her with an unreadable expression. "They're out of their minds if they think I'll even consider it."

"The full offer is that if you turn over your captain they'll offer you a place within the Seven Warlords. And if you refuse they'll execute you."

"No," Zoro shook his head and sat down on the cot. "Never. I'd never do that."

Tashigi crossed her arms. "Then you don't mind dying?"

"Not anymore. Besides, I'm sure that if my execution got out there would be another war. Our allies are extremely loyal to Luffy and aren't people you want to mess with." Zoro said. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I wanted to prove to you that I'm not just another marine," Tashigi said. "I… I don't want to have to rely on cowardice to bring about justice. It's insulting everything I stand for as a marine. I'd… I'd rather be an honest outlaw than a deceitful marine."

"In this age, that's all there is." Zoro sighed, resting his head on his hands. "Even if I did want to take the offer, it would be impossible to bring Luffy in."

"Why?" Tashigi pulled her chair over and sat in front of him.

"Luffy died a long time ago."

Tashigi drew in a sharp breath, "He's… gone? When?!"

"Almost seven years ago," Zoro said. "He… It was the April of fifteen twenty-six."

"That long ago?" Tashigi whispered. "But… That was before he found the One Piece! That was before he became the Pirate King! Are you telling me that–"

"Luffy never set foot on Raftel," Zoro admitted aloud for the first time. "He died before we reached the island. The crew… We continued on for him because we knew he would have wanted to see this adventure through. He would have been disappointed to know that we gave up just because he was gone. So we made it there in his place. We found the One Piece for him, and we made sure the world recognized him as the Pirate King. And with our allies, it was easy to spread the word. No one else knows what happened."

"I don't know what to sat, Tashigi said, staring down at her hands. "That thought, it never occurred to us. He always seemed so invincible.

"We thought so too."

...

That night, alone in her cabin, Tashigi scoured through old newspapers, searching for any mention of the Strawhat Pirates. She found the article indicating his defeat of Buggy, of Don Krieg, of Arlong. Drum Island was mentioned, and she knew that he was the one to take down Crocodile, and his crew took down the rest of Baroque Works.

She had heard the rumours concerning Enies Lobby, and the shenanigans they got up to at Water 7. She knew about Gekko Moria's defeat (having a high ranking superior always helped), and she knew about the events that unfolded at Sabaody Archipelago. Strawhat's invasion of Impel Down and his involvement in the Paramount War was nearly legendary.

Then there was two years of nothing. But soon enough reports started trickling in, the Strawhats re-emerging at the archipelago. Meeting them again on Punk Hazard. Dressrosa, and Doflamingo's defeat. That wasn't covered up. Everyone knew that it had been Strawhat to defeat the Warlord. And then dealing with the Vinsmoke family, and then taking down two Emperors nearly one after the other!

Tashigi sat back in her chair. She had been told that the Strawhat Pirates were nefarious people who needed to be taken down. And she believed that. She had believed that they had only helped Princess Vivi because they were getting something out of it. She had believed that their actions at Enies Lobby were selfish. She believed that at Punk Hazard they had had some ulterior motive.

But she was wrong. She had no proof, but after talking to Zoro these past couple of weeks, her accusations didn't seem as deserved. And… Zoro was willing to die to keep his captain's legacy alive. That didn't seem like the actions of an ordinary pirate.

Each battle the Strawhats participated in was significant. They didn't rush into things without a reason. They defeated pirates, Warlords, Emperors, and marines alike. They exposed corrupt government operations. They helped people and freed kingdoms, even if it wasn't their intent. And they never asked for anything in return.

People flocked behind Luffy. Not because he was a powerful pirate, but because he gave them a reason to look up to him. He gave them a reason to stand beside him.

She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes as the picture slowly started to take shape in her mind. They weren't the bad guys. They may not have been all that good, but they weren't evil. They didn't deserve the government hounding them at every turn. If anything, the world should thank them for helping clear out the scum.

Tashigi looked to the side, where Zoro's swords were leaning against the wall. And then she made a decision.

...

Zoro didn't see Tashigi all day. It was a terrified chore boy who delivered his meals. It wasn't until a few hours before dawn that she showed up, dressed in plain black slacks and a sweater instead of her marine uniform. She had a bundle tucked under one arm, and she used her free hand to unlock the cell. "Here," She tossed the bundle at him, and Zoro caught it with no small amount of confusion. "Get dressed. Something warm. We're leaving."

"Wha-?" Zoro unrolled the bundle and found his swords tangled in a woollen long sleeved shirt.

"Hurry!" Tashigi hissed. Zoro complied, pulling the shirt over his head and shoving his swords into the belt loops on his pants. He followed her out of the cell and up the stairs, creeping quietly across the pitch black deck and came to a stop in front of the longboats.

"You're helping me escape?" Zoro finally realized, reaching out to grab Tashigi's arm and turn her to face him.

"What else would I be doing?" She asked.

"But-"

She shushed him, "I was always mad at you and your decision to become a pirate, after we met in Loguetown. I was taught that people choose to be pirates to become outlaws and be… well, evil. But after hearing you talk about your crew, and how you considered them your friends, I started looking up some of your exploits. Looking at them in a different light, I realized that you're not all bad people. You don't deserve to be executed."

Zoro sighed, "I just wish everyone could see that." He thought back to Dustin's words, "Less people are oblivious to your deeds than they'll have you believe. The people who do know are the ones who deserve to know."

"And, call us even. Your captain saved Smoker's life in Alabasta. I'm saving your life now."

"You're going to get in trouble for this."

"I know. That's why I'm going with you."

"Why?" Zoro was getting tired of using that word.

Her response wasn't verbal. Instead she grabbed the front of Zoro's shirt and yanked him down to her level, kissing him firmly. Zoro nearly squawked in surprise, and she pulled away a moment later. "Let's go."

He went.

...

The paddled for the rest of the night and into the early morning, aiming for an island Tashigi picked out. They were silent for most of the journey, both lost in their own thoughts. Zoro was thinking about the kiss, and he was glad it had been dark when she kissed him. He really didn't want her seeing his blush.

He had never kissed anyone before. When he was young, he thought about kissing Kuina a few times, but after she died his life was spent training. After that it was bounty hunting, and then he became a pirate. After the crew disbanded, he spent years training again, and then searching for Mihawk. He never had a reason to think about a future like this.

Finally, they reached the island Tashigi picked. It was a bustling city with a small marine presence. Buildings were crowded in any available space and winding paved roads snaked between them. Most of the city people were pleasant, renting them a room in a hotel without any fuss or questions, even though Zoro wasn't wearing any disguise. They must be used to pirates, he mused. They also must have assumed they were a couple, because there was only one bed in the room. It didn't bother Zoro, but Tashigi was staring at it with trepidation.

"We'll have to use it to avoid suspicion," Tashigi said at last. "They probably know we're gone by now."

"What are you going to do?" Zoro asked. "They're going to know you helped me."

"I don't know," She said, placing her sword against the nightstand. Zoro copied her, leaving his own swords against the nightstand on the other side of the bed.

"Do you want to come with me?" Zoro offered.

She looked up with a faintly hopeful look, "You're offering? I was only planning to escape…"

He shrugged, "You've risked this much for me. I… And I haven't thanked you yet. Um…"

"I'd like to stay with you," Tashigi interrupted, and then looked down at her feet as her face turned red.

"I – okay."

Their relationship was very awkward at first, both of them spending a lot of time blushing, stammering, and avoiding the topic for a few days. It was finally when Zoro asked what she had told Smoker about Luffy that the ice finally broke.

"I didn't tell him." Tashigi said.

"Why not?"

"Because it would have broken him." Tashigi said. "Smoker always admired Luffy's ambition, even if he was a pirate. It started when Luffy ordered you to save him that it all started. He admires you too, for not questioning his orders, even when he told you to save the enemy." She looked out the window. "He's been after your crew for the past none years. It's his life now. I didn't want to hurt him."

"The truth is probably going to come out sooner or later," Zoro sighed. "He'll find out then."

"I guess."

"And… Why did you kiss me?"

Tashigi blushed furiously at that, but kept her head up. "I've always admired you. Your loyalty, and your swordsmanship. I knew that you were strong. And you helped people, even if I thought you were doing it for money. It's… It's just that for the longest time I thought you were a bad person, and I used my feelings to just hate you more. When I found out you weren't all that bad…" She trailed off, her face going even redder. "And I think it's cute that you get lost easily." She shoved her glasses up her nose and looked down at her lap.

Zoro coughed at the last comment, and then he laughed. The sound was brighter than she had ever heard from him before. And then he smiled at her. A genuine smile, not a triumphant expression or his trademark shit-eating grin. A real one. She smiled back, pushed him down onto the bed and kissed him.

...

After two weeks they started renting a house instead of living out of the hotel. When they started making friends, they all assumed the two of them were married and they went along with it. Tashigi was a little disappointed that they couldn't have a real wedding, lest they draw unwanted attention to themselves, so Zoro bought her a ring and they had their own celebration.

After a year they decided to leave, emptying their house and selling anything that they couldn't take with them. They made their way back to East Blue the same way Zoro left East Blue, jumping onto cargo ships and working for their passage. They stopped once on the Nuiss Chain to let Shiroda know he was alive, and to greet his former students (who were all flabbergasted to have been taught by the legendary Roronoa Zoro) one last time before heading home. He let Tashigi handle the directions.

They finally reached East Blue. Tashigi insisted they stop at Loguetown (and Zoro made sure to find the shopkeeper who gave him Yubashiri and apologize for losing her) and then they moved on to Shimotsuki Village on Crescent Moon Island.

The island was very quiet and full of grasslands and rice paddies. Tashigi was reminded of the village she grew up in, as she followed Zoro (who actually seemed to know where he was going for once) up a path to a dojo. He knocked on the door a few times before sliding it open, calling out "Sensei Koshiro?"

There was a faint shuffling from inside the house, and then a very surprised middle-aged man appeared in the front hall. "Zoro?" Koshiro questioned in a soft voice, "I wasn't expecting to see you back here."

"I was in the area," Zoro said with a slight shrug. Koshiro shuffled to the side, allowing Zoro and Tashigi to enter the dojo. Tashigi looked around in appreciation before following the two men into a back room, which turned out to be a kitchen.

"Please, sit," Koshiro offered, putting the kettle on to boil. "I heard about Mihawk's defeat. Congratulations. You have finally achieved your ambition."

Zoro nodded, glancing over to a photograph hanging on a nearby wall. "Kuina and I made a pact when we were kids. One of us was going to become the best."

"I see. I am very glad you kept her sword in good condition." He eyed the Wadoo Ichimonji at Zoro's hip. "Although, I suppose it is your sword now. That blade will never allow anyone else to wield it. At least, not with the same trust you do."

"That was her sword?" Tashigi asked quietly.

Zoro nodded, and Koshiro explained, "I allowed him to have it after my daughter's death. And I must say, you look strikingly similar to her."

"Really?" She looked over at the picture on the wall. "I suppose we do… Is that why you insulted me back when we first met?"

Zoro flushed and ducked his head. "That wasn't supposed to be an insult. I was just surprised."

Koshiro laughed heartily at that and coaxed the story out of them as they drank their tea. They spend the night in the guest room, and Zoro visited Kuina's grave at sunset. While he was outside, Koshiro spoke with Tashigi, "You really do look like her. I had hoped that the two of them would marry one day. Seeing you and him together, I know that they would have if she lived."

Tashigi wasn't sure if she should be insulted or take it as a compliment. "I'm happy with him."

Koshiro smiled, "Are the two of you planning to have any children? It would be hard, with both of you being wanted by the marines."

"Maybe…" The thought surprised her. But before she could say anything else Zoro returned and the conversation shifted to stories about Zoro's childhood. Tashigi listened and laughed with rapt attention, but Koshiro's comment never left her mind. They set off the next day.

As they travelled towards the Goa Kingdom, as Zoro said their destination was, Tashigi brought up her concerns. "Hey, Zoro?"

"Hm?"

"Have you ever… Have you ever wanted a family?" The words were forced out in a rush. She clutched Shigure with her right hand, fingers playing with the tassels.

She heard Zoro move from the bed of the cheap passenger ship they were on, and then she felt his arms wrap around her. "Do you want a family? Children?"

"Yes. I do. But we're both wanted criminals. Any child of ours will be targeted from the moment they're born! We're not safe anywhere! No land will be able to hide us, and we'll be chased at sea!"

Zoro's arms tightened around her, and she turned to press her forehead to his chest. "Nowhere on land or sea," He said. "What about the sky?"

"The sky?" Tashigi looked up at him, sceptical.

"Sky Island, Zoro confirmed. "My crew, we've been there and we're always welcome. We could live up there and start a family. There are no marines, and there are no pirates. It's the perfect place."

"Do you think it's possible?" Tashigi tried to keep the excitement out of her voice and failed miserably. A smile spread across her face. "We can have a family and live safely?"

"Definitely."

...

A couple of weeks later they were docking in High Town, and a fisherman agreed to take them to Windmill Village. They arrived in the peaceful village, and Zoro was greeted happily by a dark haired woman in an apron, carrying a net full of fish.

"Zoro!" She exclaimed. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Zoro tipped his head respectfully. "Hello Makino. I've come to say goodbye to him."

"Ah," The happy smile Makino wore flickered slightly. As Zoro and Tashigi thanked the fisherman, Makino reached out and snagged the collar of a young boy running past her. "Young man, I thought I told you to clean your room not fifteen minutes ago. There's no way you've finished in that time."

"But Mom!" The boy complained. "Theo's dad said I could go fishing with them today, and they're leaving right now!"

Makino sighed and shook her head with a smile. "Then you had better brink home a big fish for dinner. And then you're going to finish cleaning when you get home. Is that clear, Ace?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Go on then." With a cheer, Ace ran down the docks.

"He's cute," Tashigi commented.

"Thank you," Makino smiled. "Are you Zoro's girlfriend?"

Tashigi nodded, and she and Zoro followed Makino into a nearby building with a sign proclaiming it to be 'Party's Bar'. They sat down at the counter while Makino walked behind it. "Would you like anything to eat? Everything is on the house."

They both ordered dinner, Tashigi feeling guilty about eating food for free from a woman she didn't know. Zoro seemed to know her rather well, and they got along great. When she leaned over to ask Zoro if she was his previous girlfriend, he nearly choked on his food as she started laughing.

"No, no," He said finally, when she stopped coughing. "This is the village Luffy grew up in. I'm here to visit his grave and say goodbye." That made sense. "Makino helped raise Luffy and his brothers."

"Oh," Tashigi smiled a little more warmly at Makino after that.

...

They rose early the next morning to begin hiking up the mountain, despite Zoro staying awake most of the night to write a letter. He left it with Makino when they went for breakfast, and she placed it in a metal box on a shelf behind her. Zoro surprised her with his ability to find what he was looking for, and soon enough they reached a small grassy clearing with a single headstone and memorabilia scattered at its base. A familiar straw hat sat on top, weighed down by a shell and a golden amulet.

As Zoro approached the grave, Tashigi stayed back. It was strange seeing the grave of Smoker's greatest rival. She remembered all the times she came face to face with the crew, and remembered the young man's smiling face. Did he die with a smile, like his brother and his predecessor? She hoped so.

Zoro was silent, too. He approached the grave with a waver in his step and a vulnerability he would never show anyone else. He stood in front of the stone and was unnervingly still. She wished she could see his face. One of the things she had learned about him was that he communicated a lot through expression. She knew he was saying a lot right now, just looking and not having uttered a word.

Eventually, Zoro unhooked the Wado Ichimonji from his side and unsheathed it. She stared at the blade for a long time, and then ran a finger down the edge. Bright red blood welled up against the blade, and then Zoro sheathed it, impaling the sheath into the ground. "Protect my captain." He said. "Goodbye, Luffy. I hope you're proud." He reached for the amulet on the old straw hat, and opened it. He stared at that for a moment, closed it, and set it back down.

He turned away, then, his eyes red and tears dripping down his cheeks. She pulled him into a hug, and they stood there for a long minute. Eventually they broke apart and began their journey down the mountain. Zoro slipped his hand into Tashigi's. "Thank you."

She didn't know if his words were meant for her or for his captain, and she didn't ask. She squeezed his hand, and they walked back to Windmill village in silence.

...

They bid Makino farewell the next morning, and they set off. They stopped briefly for a meal at the Baratie, where Zoro snuck off with the Assistant Head Chef Carne. Tashigi couldn't see very much of what they were talking about, but something small and golden exchanged hands. Carne laughed loudly at whatever Zoro handed him, and then told them that their meal was on the house.

When they reached the Twin Capes they started plotting a route to Jaya. Tashigi counted herself lucky for knowing the way. They arrived on the far side of the island, and Montblonk Cricket, who had just returned from a trip the week before, was more than happy to assist him in getting to Skypia. They only had to wait for an ambitious crew to show up, and that happened a month later.

The Little Island pirates seemed mystified at meeting the infamous Roronoa Zoro, and they were all too willing to bring them aboard for their journey.

Cricket and the monkey brothers decked out their ship in the appropriate regalia and Zoro helped the captain, Bennett, by explaining the techniques Nami used to get them to the sky the first time. When the Knock-Up stream finally erupted, they were waiting and successfully reached the White-White Sea.

Naturally, everyone who hadn't been on the Knock-Up stream before were astounded at the journey, and Zoro could've sworn he heard several members of the crew cursing Usopp's name.

Amazon, the little old lady at the gate, took one look at Zoro and ushered them through with no hassle.

Tashigi's first views of the legendary island were breathtaking, and she explored as much of the island as she could in as little time as possible. The residents were very welcoming to a member of Luffy's crew, and Tashigi struck up an immediate friendship with Conis.

Gan Fall and the elders were saddened to learn of Luffy's fate, and they offered to carve his name into the Golden Bell, to show their thanks.

A week later, the Little Island pirates left, while Zoro and Tashigi remained. The two of them opened their own dojo, Zoro never forgetting what it was like to be a teacher, and Tashigi eagerly assisted him. They built a pleasant life for themselves in the sky, finally having their family, a girl they named Kuina and a boy they named Dustin, and enjoyed a life neither of them thought was possible.

* * *

"And he lived happily ever after?" Seth snorted. "Doesn't seem like the type of ending a pirate usually gets."

"Basically," Eugene said. "I mean, he had his two kids with that marine captain girl… Uh, Tashigi? I hope I'm pronouncing that right, and lived on Skypia for the rest of his life. There's no documentation that would indicate other activities past this point. And… weren't his kids discovered with two of his swords? Ah, what's his face had Shusui, and his daughter had the cursed one."

"Sandai Kitetsu," Zack said. "Roronoa Kuina wielded that one and his son, Roronoa Dustin, wielded Shusui."

"I heard the CEO of Phoenix Industries got his hands on that about twenty years ago, after buying it from Dustin's descendant and donated it to Skypia's museum," Rachel said. "And the cursed blade was lost with Roronoa Kuina after her death at the hands of Admiral Kiva."

Eugene folded the photocopy of the letter back up and placed it in his notebook. "Well, that's Roronoa Zoro's life."

"I still can't believe this all came from that stupid sword." Seth muttered.

"It's not a stupid sword," Zack glared at Seth, who sneered back.

"Stop it," Nicole said, shoving the two of them apart. "Alright, back to work. Let's see what else we can dig up."

"YES NICOLE!" Seth abandoned his tussle with Zack to spring up and grab a trowel.

"Pansy," Zack muttered.

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

Rachel laughed, Eugene rolled his eyes, and Nicole face-palmed.


	2. Worry

Chapter 2: Nami

WORRY

No matter where we are, I'll take us to where we need to be.

* * *

"Right," Rachel had gathered them together again, "We've figured out Roronoa Zoro's movements, but the age at which the Pirate King died is still a mystery. Eugene and I have been looking into other crew members to determine a timeline."

"So whose story are we going to hear this time?" Seth asked.

"Cat-Burglar Nami," Eugene answered. "She was the second person to join the crew, according to the old sightings, after Roronoa Zoro."

Nicole and Carter leaned forward, interested.

"We are still trying to determine which of these items connects her to Monkey D. Luffy, but we believe it is this," Rachel pointed to the odd compass. "She was a navigator, and this must have been the type of compass they used a millennia ago. We have also found an old copy of the atlas she drew." Rachel pushed a book forward for the others to look at. "She was the first person to ever produce a map of the world. Of course, today it is much easier because we have satellite imagery, but at this point in time this was one of the biggest achievements in human history. This copy here is an eighteenth edition, since most of the original copies have been destroyed or are at museums."

Nicole pulled the book towards her and started flipping through the pages. "I studied her in some of my classes," She said, "Her work was decades above anyone else in her era. Once this hit the market, people didn't care that she was a pirate, her legacy was this."

"How long do you think it took her?" Felix asked.

"Probably years," Nicole said. "She had to sail everywhere, and then it would have taken her at least a few days to measure all the heights and radius of the islands. Take that, and multiply it by the number of islands in the world… It's thought that the dates here below the description are her start and end date. If that's true, then she spent nearly half a century working on this."

"That kind of talent doesn't come from just anywhere," Carter said with a grin.

"Yeah," Nicole agreed. "It's a shame her daughter didn't take up navigation and cartography."

"Aren't you a cartographer?" Seth asked.

"I have a minor degree in GIS Technologies," She said with a nod, "I figured it would help me in with my analytical archeology." She flipped to the full page map of the Grand Line. "This is the route the Pirate King took to get to Raftel," She dragged her finger along a series of islands all connected by a bright red line. "At least, that's what some of the senior analysts think."

"We do have their log book now," Eugene said, leaning over Nicole's shoulder. "Henry is currently working on restoring it, but once we have the text we can start translating. We can confirm this once we do."

"That would be amazing," Nicole said with a grin. "Of course, it really wouldn't be a surprise to learn that it was true. What I want to know is why this island here," She pointed to an island about two thirds the way through the New World, "Is red. She follows a normal colouring scheme until this one. And it's the only one. I've actually been to the island, and it's just a bunch of cliffs and a forest. It's nothing special, there's no monument, and there's no treasure."

"Maybe something happened there," Rachel said. "We will have to wait for the translation to be complete. Anyway, her solo movements started in East Blue, most likely around here."

* * *

Nojiko watched Nami from the kitchen window. She was worried about her baby sister, but she would never admit it out loud. Nami was much stronger than she looked. Nojiko also knew her sister well enough to know when she wanted to be left alone. Today seemed to be one of those days.

It hadn't been that long since Nami returned. Just over a month ago, a small vessel appeared at the docks. Nami had changed, so much so that it took a minute to recognize her when she climbed out of the boat.

At first, everyone was happy. They had heard the news of Strawhat Luffy claiming the One Piece, and Nami was greeted with cheers. But she hadn't looked very happy when she arrived, and when someone asked about Luffy she burst into tears.

After that, it wasn't hard to figure out what happened. Genzo had been muttering about Nami's smile for the past couple of weeks, and Nojiko was trying her hardest to bring it back. It was an effort in vain, she knew. It would take more than just her efforts to bring it back completely.

Nojiko didn't blame Strawhat for her sister's tears. If Nami cried over him, then he was worth her tears. That made the Strawhat boy a decent person in her books.

She shook her head and continued watching Nami as she stood in the orchard next to a half-full basket of tangerines. Nojiko joined her a few hours later, sitting on the grass and started trimming the branches.

"How're you holding up?" Nojiko asked.

Nami sighed, lowering her clippers and running a gloved hand through her hair. "I'm not going to say I'm good, but I'm doing better now."

Nojiko smiled softly, "That's good." They worked together for a while longer, before heading back to the house. "Genzo invited us over for dinner," She said. "Help me carry these bushels down to his house?" She pointed to a couple of canvas bags by the door.

"Of course."

Nami grabbed one and easily slung it over her shoulders. Nojiko struggled with the weight of the second bag, marveling internally at Nami's new strength. They walked to the village together, talking about nothing important until they reached Genzo's home. It was nice.

But despite the quiet and the familiarity of home, Nami still didn't feel comfortable. Staying in one place was making her itch, and she'd often wander the island just to keep moving. When a cruise ship arrived during their annual Freedom Festival, it gave Nami an idea. She only told Genzo and Nojiko, and they were the only two to see her off two months later when the next ship arrived in their harbour. As she left, Nojiko pressed a sprig cut off from one of Bell-mere's tangerine trees into her palm. "Plant that and it will grow."

"You're always welcome here," Genzo whispered. "Never forget that."

...

The passenger ship was mid-sized and moderately crowded, but that morning on the forward deck it was nearly empty, aside from a few workers. Nami enjoyed the fresh air and sipped hot coffee from a paper cup as she stood by the railing and watched the sunrise. She picked up the drink from Robin after a few late nights working on her maps. The coffee in her hand wasn't as good as Sanji's, but it still did its job and woke her up.

Nami glanced at the sky. They were in for a clear day, cooler than normal, but still bright and sunny. She took a deep breath of the morning air, pulled her sweater tighter around herself, and crumpled the now empty cup. She spent a moment more in the air before leaving to find a garbage and return to her cabin to get ready for that morning's shift.

She grumbled a bit as she pulled on the waitressing uniform. It was small, tight, and spoke of the pervy old men who owned the ship. She had to hike up her climatact holster to keep it underneath her skirt and out of sight, and she needed copious amounts of concealer to hide her very recognizable tattoo and scar on her left shoulder, as well as the scar on her forearm. That scar wasn't recognizable, but it was noticeable and the stuck up old men she served wouldn't want a pinup girl to have any flaws. Fixing her hair and glancing in the mirror once more to ensure nothing about her looks revealed her identity, she left for the dining room. Why did she have to work again? Why couldn't she just have been a passenger? Oh, that's right. She was broke. They went to all that trouble of finding Raftel and there wasn't a single Eneru-be-damned beri on the island. Some ultimate treasure.

She arrived at the fancy restaurant and spent the morning and part of the afternoon taking orders from rich snobs and delivering fancy dishes to those rich snobs. When three o'clock finally rolled around she yanked off her shoes with a groan of relief and walked back to the staff room barefoot.

"Heya, Nina!" Someone called behind her, and Nami turned at the sound of her fake name.

"Oh, hey Izumi!" Nami smirked and closed her locker with a snap.

"I'm headed to the hot tub, wanna come?"

"That sounds great," Nami said with a nod, "Give me five minutes and I'll meet you there." Nami left the staff room and headed to her cabin to change. Quickly shedding her work uniform and washing off the foundation on her shoulder, she changed into a bathing suit and dark t-shirt. Grabbing a towel and sticking her climatact into her bag, she went to find Izumi.

She spotted her friend flirting with one of the ship technicians, and Nami pulled Izumi away.

"Oi," Izumi protested cheerfully. "I almost had him. He is caving to my charms!"

"I'm sure he was," Nami grinned. "Come on, my feet are killing me."

Izumi followed Nami to the lower deck where one of the hot tubs was located. The one down here wasn't as popular with the passengers so the staff took full advantage of that. Besides the two of them, there were three other people already sitting in the water. They slipped into the hot water and Nami tilted her head back in bliss. "This feels so nice! I hate waitressing."

"I hear you," Izumi said. "Those rich bozos drink so much alcohol I can never get a break! But I suppose bartending does get better tips than waitressing. Although I'm landed with double the work whenever Risha ditches the bar."

"You ain't reported her yet?" One of the shipwrights asked. "She's always doin' that."

Izumi laughed, "I can handle it for now. But," At this point she grinned manically, "I'll be able to blackmail her soon. All of her tips will be mine!"

"Careful," Nami warned playfully, flicking water at Izumi. "You don't want to get caught doing something like that. Especially by our boss."

Both Izumi and Nami shuddered. "I'll have you know I'm not scared of him. Besides, who hasn't done something like that in their life. I'm not ashamed of it! I used to plant chocolate bar wrappers in my brother's room so he'd get in trouble instead of me."

The others in the hot tub started sharing their stories, and Nami thought back to her own childhood. She never really had the opportunity to do that, not with her childhood. She frowned, and drew her knees up to her chest.

Izumi caught Nami's frown, "Hey, is everything alright? You got all gloomy."

Nami sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing. Just some bad memories."

"Want to talk about it?" Izumi offered.

"No, it's nothing. Really. I'll be fine. I'm just getting tired."

"Nina," Izumi said sternly. "I've only known you for two months, and even I can tell that there's something bothering you. Spill."

"I went through some troubling times as a kid," Nami said lowly. "I had to steal to survive. I just don't like thinking about that time in my life."

"Oh Nina," Izumi reached over and grasped Nami's hand. "I'm sorry. But you can't be blamed for that. I'm sure the marines wouldn't have held youresponsible. You had to survive. Besides, you've changed. You're a good person now."

Nami really wanted to correct her, to start ranting about the injustices and the bribery and hypocrisy. But she managed to hold her tongue and smile at Izumi.

That night she lay in her small bed and listened to the music coming from the main hall. It was a stiff sort of music, the kind of sound you would hear in stuffy ballrooms. The sound was making her miss Brook's jolly tunes. His music promised freedom and danced with the waves. She rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head, letting the swaying of the ship lull her into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning started with a drizzle, and Nami was on edge. The air pressure felt strange. Her sharply refined senses told her that there was something building in the atmosphere. She remained on edge for the next few hours, hoping that the storm would dissipate as they normally did in East Blue's climate. That, or travel over the Red Line to wreak havoc in the Grand Line.

Her hopes were for nothing, though, because just after the lunch rush finished something in the air snapped. To the ordinary person, there was nothing unusual going on. Sure, the waves were larger than normal and the wind was blowing harder than usual, but there was nothing to fear. As the afternoon slowly progressed, the waves continued to get larger and the wind whipped through the sails faster, sending ropes snapping. The morning's drizzle turned to a full downpour, and guests were starting to panic. Most of the staff were charged with keeping them inside, but Nami wasn't focused on her task. She was staring out the open atrium doors at the rapidly darkening sky.

"Nina! Get away from there!" Izumi shouted over the roar of the wind, and grabbed Nami's arm. "It's not safe."

"It's a cyclone," Nami said, her eyes locked on the funnel cloud hidden within the greys of the sky.

"What? No way! Those never happen in the blue seas!"

Nami pulled her arm out of Izumi's grasp and ran outside. Izumi called out after her from the doors, but didn't leave the safety of the atrium. It was years of practice that let Nami keep her footing on the pitching, water slick deck.

She reached the main mast and cupped her hands to her mouth, "YOU HAVE TO TURN! STARBOARD! RIGHT NOW!"

"Get out of here, girl!" The technician Izumi had been flirting with last week shouted down at her. "We know what we're doing! Get back!"

"YOU'RE HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD THE EYE!" Nami shouted back. The wind whipped her hair out of its bun, and the rain had long since soaked her uniform. "TURN STARBOARD AND CATCH THE BACKWIND! WE CAN STILL ESCAPE!"

"This is just a thunderstorm. Let the professionals handle this."

Nami's anger flared. Professional? She was a professional. She could navigate the waters of the Grand Line blindfolded. She had sailed in the New World and come out alive. She had brought her crew to Raftel. He had absolutely no right to call himself a professional if he was going to get an entire ship of people killed because he couldn't recognize a damned cyclone when it was literally right in front of him.

She shucked her shoes and grabbed one of the snapping ropes. She scaled the riggings with practiced ease, and arrived at the top in a matter of moments. Some of the workers were giving her baffled looks, but she ignored them. "You are in no position to call yourself a navigator. Step aside and let someone _who actually knows what they're doing_ handle this." She began shouting orders, her anger and professional demeanor making some of the other sailors cower in fear and follow her every command. Slowly, a little too slow for her liking, the ship turned in the desired direction. She gave a few more orders, sails were dropped, and the ship surged forward. It groaned under the stress of the wind and water, and Nami cursed, momentarily forgetting that this ship wasn't made of Adam's Wood. But the ship held, and in a few minutes they had reached the edge of the storm.

The rain, while still coming down hard, was no longer torrential, and the winds had calmed exponentially.

"Woah," Someone said. "That… I've never seen a storm that big before. How the hell did you know how to get out of it?"

Nami narrowed her eyes and squeezed water out of her hair. "I've navigated the New World. This was nothing."

"The New–"

"That was out of line!" Izumi's flirt interrupted the spluttering sailor and stopped in front of Nami. To someone less experienced than her it would have been an intimidating position with his height advantage and massive size difference. But Nami had faced down people much larger and a hell of a lot more intimidating than the idiot in front of her.

"I'll admit that navigation is not my job aboard this ship. But if I hadn't stepped in, right now all of us would be dead. You should think about that while you explain your actions to me!" She gestured widely at the storm still raging behind them. "You think you could have survived that? That storm would have torn apart this flimsy ship in a heartbeat if we had gotten any closer!"

"That doesn't matter!" He shouted back. "One mistake could have killed us all!"

"I've sailed through worse storms in the New World! I _don't_ make mistakes!"

"You didn't follow orders!" He yelled. "That alone could cost you your job!"

Nami slapped him, and the shock shut him up. "Oh no," Nami drawled, severely unimpressed. "I just died, but at least I still have my job." The sarcasm in her voice was tangible, and then she snapped again, "You can take your damn orders and shove them up your ass. I'd rather be alive than dead. He didn't die for me to just throw my life away at someone else's incompetence!"

"Who died?" Someone asked, and Nami paled slightly "Shit, did anyone fall overboard?"

"Never mind that," She muttered, and stormed away. People were starting to emerge from the safety of the ship, balancing carefully on the wet deck. Nami walked passed them and into the atrium, where she was engulfed in Izumi's arms.

"Oh my god, Nina! You're okay. Thank the heavens. I was so worried! Never do that again!"

Nami laughed and hugged her friend back, "I'm fine," She assured her.

...

Nami retreated to her cabin to enjoy a hot bath, and hadn't been bothered by anyone for most of the afternoon. She hoped that the technician (Izumi informed her that his name was Bothen) she challenged would be too embarrassed to do anything. Her hopes were dashed when a pool boy knocked on her door and said that the ship's captain wanted to see her.

She nodded, and was left alone again. She grabbed her climatact, shoving it under her shirt and trekked to the upper cabins. The captain of the ship, a well-aged man named Joseph, answered the door before she had a chance to knock and ushered her inside.

The bridge was a long building on the uppermost deck of the ship, with a window spanning the entire wall facing the bow. The help sat in the middle of the room. A variety of navigational charts were pinned to the walls and tables beneath them carried a variety of equipment and tools.

"It's Miss Nina, correct? Thank you for joining us."

Bothen and a few other people in high quality uniforms were also present. Bothen looked positively smug, and Nami resolved to wipe that look off his face.

"It was no trouble," Nami said.

"Of course, of course. Now, Mr Bothen has brought to my attention your involvement in this afternoon's incident. He said you undermined his command and refused to follow his orders."

"He would be correct," Nami said stiffly. "However, I felt that he was insufficient as a navigator and his orders were liable to be questioned. He did mention that we were heading straight towards the eye of the cyclone, correct?"

"He has assured me the situation was under control."

Nami didn't think it was possible, but Bothen looked even smugger than before, with a hint of glee thrown in there too. "I took over operations when I realized his heading. I turned the ship ninety four degrees starboard, away from the eye of the storm. This maneuver caught the tailwind, which brought the ship to a safe distance and reduce the risk of capsizing. If we had continued on the heading, we would not have survived."

Joseph looked conflicted. "You took on this duty without a proper navigation licence?"

"Sir," Nami said, struggling to stay calm. "I have more than enough experience navigating. These new navigation licences only came into effect last year, and I have not yet had the opportunity to get one. But my experience is genuine and does not need a plastic card to ensure its quality."

"Oh?" Joseph looked interested now. "Where did you learn?"

"I grew up reading books about weather and navigation–"

Nami was interrupted by Bothen jumping in, "Reading and practical experience are two very different things! Just because–"

Nami turned her glare on him. The same glare that could subdue even Zoro. "I wasn't finished speaking yet. Kindly shut. Up. Anyway, I grew up reading books about weather and navigation, and I was the sole navigator on a ship that sailed through the Grand Line and the New World. I have plenty of _practical experience_ when dealing with this kind of weather phenomenon."

"Really?" Joseph looked excited now, while Bothen lost some of his smugness to an angry scowl. Then Joseph frowned, "When why are you working as a waitress on a ship like this?"

"My crew returned to East Blue after an event and then disbanded, and I need to earn money to keep travelling." She answered.

"I see," Joseph mused, tapping his chin. "I have an idea. My head navigator has the authority to issue navigation licences. I'll speak to your boss and have you transferred to the navigation department. I'll have the head of navigation observe your work for a week and if you fulfill the requirements he'll be able to qualify you for one."

Nami blinked a few times. "You'd do that for me? That's incredible! Thank you so much!"

Joseph nodded, "It's no trouble. In the end, it would probably benefit me to have a navigator as experienced as you claim to be on this crew."

Nami nodded, "I can get started tomorrow morning. Where should I go?"

Bothen's glare intensified as Joseph began going over the details of Nami's new position. Nami just smirked back.

* * *

"Sporadic movements through East Blue for how long?" Seth asked. "It was almost like no one recognized her. I mean, she's the one who drew a map of the world! If she wasn't spotted for being a Strawhat, then she must have been recognized for being the author of the first atlas."

"At this point in time, she hasn't yet completed her atlas," Rachel said. "And she was an extremely intelligent woman. She must have disguised herself. In fact, there are several notes here about several lookalikes. Three names, one of them is Nina, the second is Natasha, and the third is Natalie. These are names she must have gone by when she was in hiding."

"Don't forget, Roronoa Zoro managed it, and so did Nico Robin." Zack pointed out.

"Okay, so she hid. But just wandering around East Blue isn't going to get her very far," Nicole said. "Can't she just sail on her own?"

"She could, but that would cost money. It's been discovered that she spent a significant amount of time on high class passenger ships. She must have disguised herself as a noble and then robbed people of their valuables when they were not in their cabins."

"Ah, Rachel is so good at deducting," Seth swooned. Nicole shook her head and Carter laughed at him.

Rachel smiled. "Alright. Let us continue."

* * *

Nami was awake bright and early the next morning, pulling her hair back into a sensible ponytail. Her uniform had been delivered the night before. Cargo pants with plenty of pockets that were large enough to hide her climatact and store a variety of other equipment. The only issue she found was the shirt, which was sleeveless. It wasn't an issue with waitressing, she could just cover it up with makeup and that would be that. But with working on deck there was too much of a risk it would rub off. She temporarily solved the problem by wrapping her shoulder with medical tape.

She reported to the navigation office at six am sharp, with the sun just starting to peek over the horizon.

"You must be Nina," A middle aged man said when she walked into the room. "The captain told me to expect you. I am Antony, head of navigation. You'll be stationed with Doverick. He'll be going over the basics of terminology, functions, and equipment."

"I already know all that stuff," Nami protested.

"Sorry, Nina, it doesn't matter what you know when you apply for a licence. Everyone needs to start with the basics. Hell, even if the Strawhat's navigator wanted to get one she'd have to start at the beginning too. Head up to the main deck, Doverick should already be out there. Join him and report back after your rotation. I'll be waiting for a report."

"Yes sir." Nami said, and left. She found Doverick already in the rigging, tightening some of the ropes. He was a young man only a few years older than her. She climbed up and introduced herself, and the two of them got started.

It was a long and boring week, and Nami found herself missing the radical weather that the Grand Line offered. She made friends with some of the other people who were constantly up in the rigging, and told them horror stories about the Grand Line. Most of them accused her of making it up. She didn't mind that so much, because if she were in their position she wouldn't have believed her either. Hell, she still didn't believe half of it and she lived through it herself!

Finally, at the end of the week, Captain Joseph and Antony presented her with a small piece of plastic that had her name and picture. She celebrated with Izumi and Risha that night, and the next morning she was back up in the riggings. Her new position as a navigator was much more rewarding than waitressing. Time seemed to move much more quickly, and before she knew it, months had passed.

One of the benefits of the ship, she had to admit, was bringing her to some of the islands she hadn't yet visited. Her time stealing for Arlong had given her a bit of a head start with her map of East Blue, so as of yesterday, she only had Loguetown left to map (on account of her previous hasty escape before they had entered the Grand Line) and then she will have completed the entirety of East Blue. And to her luck, Loguetown was the next stop and final destination of the cruise ship.

She was sitting in the crow's nest with her journal and a clipboard, sketching out a rough map of the entire Blue. The sun had just come up and there was a steaming cup of coffee beside her, she knew it was going to be a pleasant day.

"Morning, Nina," Nami heard Doverick's voice and she glanced away from her journal to flash him a quick smile. "What are you doing?"

"Morning. I'm just putting together a rough draft of my map."

Doverick sat down on the edge of the crow's nest and leaned over Nami's shoulder. "What's it a map of?"

Nami grinned up at him, "Can't you tell? It's a map of East Blue." She tapped her pen against the page. "Just missing Loguetown."

"Wait, of the entire East Blue? Hold crap, Nina, that's amazing! Is the scale accurate?"

"Of course it is," Nami scoffed. "It's my dream to draw a map of the entire world. There's no way I'm going to be discredited by something as stupid as an incorrect scale."

"That's a crazy goal," Doverick lowered himself down to sit beside her. "It's also impossible unless you plan on sailing to Raftel. I know you've been to the New World, but the rumors I've heard about the last stretch say it's worse than anything you could imagine. Nobody except the Pirate King's crew has ever come back alive since the time of Gold Roger!" Nami tapped her pen against her journal and was silent for a few moments. "I mean, I'm sure you could do it," Doverick exclaimed, mistaking Nami's silence for anger. "It'll just be really hard, and really dangerous, and there's a good chance you'll die, and–"

He shut up when Nami held up a hand. "I know it's dangerous," She said. "Someone… A friend… Shit, my captain always said that you need to be prepared to risk your life for your dream, because if you're not willing to do that then you don't deserve to achieve it. He always said that he knew the risks, and if he died, then he died doing what he believed in."

"Well, that is some good advice." Doverick said.

"Thing is, though… he did die. Before he achieved his dream."

"I… I'm sorry, Nina. I had no idea."

Nami shook her head, "No, I don't want any pity. That's not why I'm telling you this. He died to save us. He died to save his crew. If I just give up now, and don't chase my dream because I'm scared then I wouldn't be worth his sacrifice. He gave up his dream for us, so I'm going to achieve my dream for him." Her voice shook, but her eyes were determined as they stared out at the horizon.

Doverick placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Besides," Nami said cheerfully, "The weather around Raftel isn't as bad as the rumours say. Sure, it rained acid a couple of times, and the most of the waves were larger than a tsunami, and it could get hot enough to boil water on any metal left outside, but if you knew what you were doing, it was bearable. One of the most important things, though, when travelling that far down the New World, is that you need to have a crew you can trust. That's why nobody besides the best have ever made it back. Not trusting your crew only leads to complications. People try to do all the jobs at once because they don't trust another has done it properly, and then nothing gets done. When you trust your crew you don't have to worry about anything but your own job." Unbeknownst to them, Bothen had just started his morning shift and had started listening from behind a sail.

Doverick raised an eyebrow, "You speak as if you've been there before."

Nami laughed, "Would you believe me if I said I have?"

"I'd be skeptical, of course. There's no one with the name Nina on the Pirate King's crew. In fact, I'm pretty sure their navigator is Cat-Burglar Nami."

"What if I told you Nina wasn't my real name?"

"I'd ask for proof," Doverick didn't miss a beat. "Well?"

Nami placed her journal and pen on the wood in front of her, and then started unwrapping the medial tape covering her left shoulder. She revealed her tattoo for the first time in months, and that, accompanied with her scar, was enough proof for Doverick.

"It's an honour to meet the one who navigated Raftel's waters, Miss Nami."

"Thank you," Nami said cheekily. "You're not going to tell anyone, are you? About me, or even about my captain?"

Doverick shook his head, "No. I'll keep your secret. I don't have much respect for pirates, but I do have respect for people like you. Just tell Izumi, I don't think I'd be able to keep a secret from her for long. Besides, she's my cousin. She's probably the only one who could get it out of me."

"Thanks," This one as sincere, and she started flipping through the pages of her journal. She handed it to Doverick when she reached the page she was looking for. "I've been working on my map since I was just a kid, but when I joined up with Luffy I was able to go even further than just East Blue. I have the hardest part done. I just need to finish the Grand Line and the other three seas."

"You say that as if it's just a jaunt in the park!" Doverick exclaimed, flicking through the pages. "It's going to take years, just with the travel time, not to mention all the calculations you'll have to do, and drawing the maps… I live relatively close to the beginning of the Grand Line, and even just thinking about the time it'll take for me to get home. This is insane! I can't imagine being in your shoes."

"I know," Nami said. "But it's something I've put my mind to, and I'm going to finish it." She placed a hand over an ugly x shaped scar on her left forearm. "But it's something I've put my mind to, and I'm going to finish it."

Doverick handed back her journal, a look of awe on his face. "Amazing." He paused for a moment, "Hold on, your captain, you said he didn't reach his dream. Does that mean–"

"He's still the King," Nami cut him off sharply with a quiet hiss. "We made sure of that."

"Sorry," Doverick looked abashed, so Nami took pity on him and changed the subject. They started talking about various navigation techniques used in the Grand Line and the blue seas, and soon the others joined them in the riggings to start the day.

When Nami was called to meet the captain, she didn't think anything of it this time. She walked into the bridge with her head held high, but faltered when she spotted Bothen in the room.

"Nina," Joseph greeted quietly. "Bothen has informed me of something I must discuss with you, and I need you to give me honest answers.

"Al-alright," Nami said, a bit hesitantly.

"He overheard an unusual conversation the other day," Joseph started. "May I ask, are you a pirate?"

Nami froze, her eyes widening and her fists clenching at her sides. "Why?"

"Well, if you are indeed a pirate, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the ship at our next stop. Pirates are dangerous people, and if it got out that there was one employed on this ship I would go out of business. It is too much of a hazard to keep you on board."

Nami seethed at Bothen's expression, desperately wanting to punch him in the face. "I see," She said, her voice a monotone. "Then I believe I will be honest. Yes, I am a pirate. Has Bothen informed you of which crew I am a part of?"

"No," Joseph said. "He said he didn't have that information."

"Good." Nami said. She stood up straight and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes flashed angrily. "I will leave tomorrow when we make port at Loguetown. You will never see me again."

Joseph looked sad. "I wish I was able to keep you on my crew. You're a valuable resource. If only you hadn't gone into piracy; you might have had a bright future ahead of you."

Nami's mind froze at the phrase 'valuable resource'. It made her think of Arlong. It made her think of the first person to want her as a person and not just her skills. Who had died saving her life. Nami snapped.

"I DID HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF ME!" Her bellow could be heard I the hallway outside of the bridge, and people stopped to listen to the shouting. "I HAD A FAMILY, AND A DREAM, AND A MEANS TO ACHIEVE IT. I WAS WITH PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T LOOK AT ME AS JUST A FUCKING _RESOURCE_. I HAD PEOPLE WHO TRUSTED ME WITH THEIR VERY LIVES! MY CHOICE OF LIFESTYLE HAS ABSOLUTELY _NOTHING_ TO DO WITH MY TALENTS OR WHO I AM AS A PERSON! YOU SIMPLE MINDED MORONS DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HIERARCHY OF PIRACY ENOUGH NOT TO FEAR EVERY PERSON WHO SAILS UNDER A BLACK FLAG! PEOPLE LIKE ARLONG ARE THE ONES YOU SHOULD FEAR. NOT ME. NOT MY CREW!"

"Are you done," Bothen taunted. Nami whirled to face him, her hand already curled into a fist. She wasted no time slamming her fist into his face as hard as she could. She felt a satisfying crunch beneath her hand, and Bothen was sent flying into the wall. His body left a dent.

Bothen howled in pain, the sound raspy, clutching at the ruins of his nose. Blood steadily dripped from between his fingers.

"Yes, now I'm done. If you _ever_ insult me again, I'll show you exactly what I can do."

She looked up at the ship's captain, who was staring at her in horror. "I'm not a danger to most people," she said. "Just idiots. I'll be off your ship tomorrow morning when you dock. I'll expect my pay no later than ten o'clock tonight. If you don't want to see me, just slide it under my door. Good night." She spun on her heel and strode determinedly from the room. She slammed the door open and startled the small crowd of people listening in. "I'm the best damn navigator in the world!" She called to Bothen over her shoulder. "I hope you run into another cyclone!"

She packed her things angrily, tossing her old waitressing uniform across the hall. She pulled on a plain white t-shirt and decided to keep the cargo pants, stuffing her pockets with the navigation equipment she had pilfered over the few months she had access to it. She ignored the constant knocking that was probably Doverick and Izumi, and an envelope full of money was pushed under her door at precisely ten pm.

When the ship docked early the next morning, she was off before the gangway had even been lowered.

She spent the morning wandering around the stores, not buying anything. Izumi found her in a café, next to a window that looked out over the town square, and slid into the seat across from her.

"There's an interesting rumour going around. People are saying you were fired."

"Nah, I just quit," Nami mumbled into her cup. Izumi raised an eyebrow, and Nami groaned. "Fine. Joseph found out I was a pirate. Bothen overheard me and Doverick talking a few days ago."

"So that's what that bastard was hiding from me," Izumi cackled. "You're seriously a pirate? You don't look like one."

"Yeah. I'm a pirate. I even have a bounty."

"Seriously?" Izumi gaped at her, "What did you do?"

"Doverick seriously didn't tell you anything?"

"Not a word."

"Huh. Glad he kept his word. Anyway, my first bounty was sixteen million–"

"Hold up. First?"

Nami nodded, "My second, and current, is sixty million."

"Holy crap. Again, what the hell did you do?"

"Joined the Strawhat Pirates," Nami said softly. "My real name is Nami. If you're going to freak out, can you do it later? I don't really want to attract any unwanted attention."

Izumi didn't freak out, but she did laugh. "Wow. I'm talking to a member of the Strawhat Pirates. This is kinda amazing. Oh! You're going to pay for my lunch."

"What? Why?"

"You guys found the One Piece, you're like, stinkin' rich! Makes me wonder why you were working on that ship. You could've been a passenger."

"The One Piece wasn't exactly what everyone imagines it to be," Nami said weakly. "Besides, we were perpetually broke. I ain't paying for your lunch."

Izumi stuck out her tongue. "Ah well. What made you tell Doverick, though?"

Nami shrugged, "We got along really well, and he isn't a gossip. He kinda reminds me of a laid back Sanji, but without that stupid sex drive."

"Mm," Izumi hummed. "He likes you, too."

"Woah, I am not interested in dating."

"Not like that, calm down. You look a lot like his sister Natasha. Talking to you probably reminds him of home. That's kinda why I was drawn to you too, at first."

"You're close to him?"

"Practically siblings," Izumi said with a nod. "His parents raised me. Our island was attacked by pirates when we were little. My parents died in the attack, so Uncle Rhett and Aunt Clarissa took me in."

"That's right, Doverick said that he didn't like pirates."

"The same attack that killed my parents also killed his little sister."

"Natasha?"

"No, Natasha's twin, Natalie."

Nami offered up a sad smile. "I didn't know that."

"That's alright. We don't talk much about the attack. Anyway, the reason I came to find you was to say goodbye. I live on Senra Island, so stop by if you're ever in the area. I'll miss you!"

She took off after that, and Nami was left with the bill. She cursed quietly and stuffed her receipt into her pocket, determined to find Izumi and make her pay up.

After she left the café, she found a cheap inn and enjoyed sleeping in for the first time in what felt like forever. She spent the next week and a half finishing her map of the island, and then completing her first full map of East Blue. She took extra time with this, ensuring that the ink was completely dry, there were no smudges on the paper, and when it was complete she coated it with a clear plastic resin that Usopp had come up with. She carefully tucked the map into a folder, placed the folder into a large book to ensure it wouldn't get crumpled, and checked off the first item on a list of six.

"One down, the rest of the world to go."

...

She finished West Blue in much the same way she did East Blue, but she was much more cautious this time. Since she still had her navigation licence she used that to her advantage. She boarded a ship in West Blue and got a job as a navigator. The only difference was she kept people at a distance. She didn't want to get close to anyone, in case they discovered who she really was.

It took her over three years to finish West Blue, having to start from scratch in an unfamiliar sea. She had to jump from ship to ship to get the entire sea. But at long last, she had finished. She checked off another item on her to-do list. She decided to tackle the Grand Line next, and then the New World. She already had the hardest parts done, it would be a breeze.

...

She did find Senra Island, and once she learned the name of the island she made a point to track Izumi down. To her luck she was only a town over and the locals were more than happy to point her in the right direction.

She knocked on the door, and when Izumi opened the door she threw her arms around the red-haired pirate with a squeal. "NINA! Wait, I mean NAMI! You're finally here! Took you long enough!"

"I had things to do," Nami teased. "Also," She shoved the café receipt into Izumi's face. "You owe me money."

The look on Izumi's face sent Nami into a fit of laughter, and once Izumi got over her shock she joined in. "I can't believe you kept that stupid thing. Hell, I can't believe you even remembered! Oh my god, that's amazing. Come in, come in."

She dragged Nami into the house without waiting for a reply, and Nami squawked as she almost lost her balance. "Calm down, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Doesn't mean I'm not excited to see you again! What have you been up to? I know you've been drawing your map, where have you been so far? My little cousin hasn't stopped talking about pirates since I told him I was friends with one. Oh! You need to meet Natasha, too. The two of you look so alike it's scary!"

Nami laughed as Izumi continued to ramble. It was nice seeing a familiar face again. With a pang, she realized she hadn't run into anyone from her crew yet, she hadn't seen them in years, not since they all went their separate ways."

"Natasha hates pirates, though, so that might be an issue. So how are you doing?"

Izumi finally stopped talking long enough for Nami to answer. They sat on the couch with tea and talked late into the night. Nami accepted Izumi's offer to crash in her room. Doverick showed up the next morning, too, and he was just as happy to see Nami as Izumi was. He insisted on dragging her around town. They stopped for lunch in a small park by the main plaza with kebobs from a nearby stand.

"This was a great place to come and read, I'd come here all the time when I was younger," Doverick said. They took a seat at one of the picnic tables behind a small plaza with two large stone monuments facing the center where a fountain had been built. When Nami finished her lunch she wandered around to the front of the monument.

"What is this place?" Nami asked, when Izumi and Doverick joined her. She reached out to run a finger down the list of names etched onto the front. "It's beautiful."

"It's a monument to the fallen marines and victims of an old pirate attack," Doverick said softly. "Both of us have family named here."

"Many pirates ruin lives," Nami said, just as quietly. "They just take."

"Aren't you a pirate?" Izumi asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I am, but we're not the type to pillage and plunder. We're just in it for the adventure." Nami ran a hand through her hair. "My adoptive mother was killed by a pirate, and the same pirate enslaved the island. He forced us to pay him to live, one hundred thousand a month for adults and fifty thousand for children. Bell-mere… We weren't a very rich family, and she could only afford enough for me and my sister. Arlong shot her in front of us. When Luffy showed up, he defeated Arlong and freed my home. And he didn't even ask for anything in return. He did it all just for me."

"Pirates are people too, I suppose," Izumi said. "Hold up, what was your mom's name?"

"Bell-mere," Nami said. "Why?"

"Because," Izumi grasped Nami's wrist and pulled her to the first monument; she ran a finger down the list of names until she reached a name. "That name is right here."

Nami stared at the name for a long moment. "When did this battle happen?"

"Fifteen-oh-four," Doverick pointed to the date near the top of the stone. "Why?"

"Bell-mere found me," Nami said. "She found me and my sister Nojiko in a village that had just been raided by pirates. She took us from the battlefield and brought us home with her."

Doverick had turned from Nami to the monument the moment Nami said Nojiko's name, and was scanning the list of names as fast as he could. "Here, Nami. Take a look at this." He pointed out a particular name, and Nami gasped.

"Nojiko?! Why is her name on this?"

"Briva and Leonard had a daughter named Nojiko. She disappeared from her daycare during the raid." Izumi said.

"Do you have any pictures? Of Nojiko? Of Bell-mere? Nojiko is pretty recognizable. She's got," Nami frantically started waving at her head, and was shushed by Doverick.

"We can get a picture later; I don't think Briva and Leonard are home right now. But we can take a look through the old records in the library. They might have something."

Nami could just nod as her two friends led her to a large building. They spent the next couple of hours digging though old newspapers and reports. Finally, Nami unearthed a bundle of photographs from a folder with the date of the attack stamped on the front. Each photo had a report attached to it, with the marine's rank and date of death.

"I found her," Nami said, and immediately had Izumi's and Doverick's attention. She help up a shaking a hand, the picture depicting a smiling woman. Her marine uniform contrasted greatly with her dark red hair, and she had a cigarette handing out of her mouth. "It's her. It's Bell-mere."

"But she died in that battle. Look, here's her death date."

Nami shook her head, "No, it's her. I swear it. Here," She dropped the report on the table and started digging in her bad. She drew out her journal and opened it to the front page. "Take a look at this. This is the three of us; me, Nojiko, and Bell-mere!"

"Rick, they're nearly identical. Even the haircut is the same!"

"But…" Doverick shook his head, "It's not… Natalie died in that battle! You… If…"

"Your mom must have been presumed dead," Izumi told Nami. "That means you must be from this island."

Nami shrugged helplessly. "Maybe? Bell-mere was killed when I was ten. If she knew where I was from she didn't have a chance to tell me."

Doverick furrowed his brows, "That picture, that girl there is Nojiko?"

Nami nodded.

"She… She just might be Briva's kid. And you… You look identical to my sister. If you were born on this island… You might be Natalie."

Nami shook her head, "That's crazy! You found your sister's body, right?"

"No, we didn't," Doverick said slowly. "After a year, everyone unaccounted for was declared dead. I… Natasha and Natalie, they were identical twins. And they both had a birthmark on their left hip…"

Nami stood up at that and pulled her waistband away just enough for them to see the light crescent shaped mark on her left hip. Izumi gaped, and Doverick went pale.

"This… Might just be one hell of a coincidence. Let's… Are your parents around? We can confirm… We shouldn't jump to conclusions."

Doverick agreed, and Izumi led the way to his parents' home, nearly skipping the whole way there. Doverick knocked on the door, and a girl that looked eerily like Nami opened the door. Natasha, she assumed.

"Hi Rick, what're you – hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Are Mom and Dad home?"

"Sure," She glanced curiously at Nami, "Come in."

They were led into the living room and the three of them took a seat while Natasha went to get her parents. Once Rhett and Clarissa sat down, Doverick and Izumi explained the situation to them. Throughout the explanation, a young boy kept peering into the room.

Nami stayed quiet, feeling out of place. It wasn't like she didn't want to find out where she came from, she had always been curious. But she was Bell-mere's daughter first, and it had been hard thinking about a biological family while Bell-mere's loss was still fresh in her mind. And then her life was full of stealing, and she couldn't afford to daydream. And then when Luffy entered her life, her thoughts turned to her dream.

When they finished explaining things, Clarissa tearfully brought out an old photo album. They pointed out small traits their baby had, traits that Nami shared. The mole beside her bellybutton, the fact that she only had one dimple when she smiled, the crooked thumb on her right hand. The uncanny resemblance to Natasha was also hard to overlook.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Natasha stayed as quiet as Nami.

The deal was sealed when she showed them the picture of Nojiko.

"That is poor little Nojiko! She looks so much like her mother…" Clarissa began to cry, and Rhett sat still, looking very shocked. The small part of Nami's mind that wasn't freaking out made a mental note to write to her sister as soon as possible.

They insisted that Nami stay for dinner, and Nami agreed to stay on the island long enough to get to know her new-found family. The little boy, Riley, had all but bounded out of the kitchen when they told him to come met his long-lost sister. She spoke of her life with Bell-mere and Nojiko, her travels, her dream to map the world and her progress so far, and her friends. Apparently neither Doverick or Izumi mentioned that Nami had once been a pirate, and that was fine with her. Clarissa seemed like someone who worried over everything, and Nami really didn't want to be coddled.

A few days later, Natasha cornered her and dragged her down to the beach. "I was seven when they finally told me I had a twin sister," She said. "I found an old picture, and saw the both of us."

Nami kicked off her shoes and rolled up her pants. "I knew I was adopted my whole life," Nami said. "All the other kids in the village called their parents mom and dad, but I always called my mom Bell-mere. I asked her about it, and she told me." Nami tilted her head back and let the sea breeze wash over her. "I'd probably have figured it out when I was older, if she didn't tell me. The three of us looked nothing like each other."

"It's strange," Natasha followed Nami's lead and took a few steps out into the surf. "I mean, what're the chances that you'd meet Rick and Izumi, and then discover you're related to them. It's…"

"Strange?" Nami finished. "I know the feeling. I knew I must have had family out there, but I never actually thought I'd find them."

"At least you had a good life. Mom's glad of that. She was afraid that you had been taken and raised as a pirate or whore."

"I was raised by a good person," Nami said. "But Bell-mere died when I was just a kid. And… And I haven't told you the whole story."

Natasha glanced over curiously, "What do you mean?"

"I've only told you about the good things that happened in my life. Not the bad." Nami ran a hand over her left arm, starting at her shoulder and ending on her wrist. Natasha could see a scar on her forearm.

"I'm a pirate. I know you hate pirates, but please don't hate me!" Nami pleaded.

"I hate pirates because they took away my sister," Natasha said, her feet splashing in the water as she approached Nami and pulled her into a hug. "I could never hate you!"

Nami hugged her back, clinging to her like a lifeline. "I haven't been this close to anyone since we disbanded. I haven't let anyone… I miss them all! And… And…"

"Tell me," Natasha said gently.

And Nami did. She told her about Bell-mere's murder at the hands of Arlong, and then the eight years of torment she suffered at his hands. She told her sister about stealing and running for her life. About being locked in a room and forced to draw maps until her hands bled.

"I'm surprised you still like doing it."

Nami laughed at that, and then told her about the strange boy who fell out of the sky and proceeded to beat the crap out of the two thugs from Buggy's crew she set on him. She told her about how he didn't care about her dirty past, and how he appreciated her as a person more than her skills. How he did respect her skills because it was something she wanted to do. She told her about him attacking Arlong, and freeing her home from his tyranny.

"Wow." Was all Natasha had to say.

"I hate pirates too," Nami admitted. "But I couldn't hate him. I could never hate him. He's not… He wasn't… Until the very end, he never had a speck of evil in him. He's the man who saved me from Arlong, and then he offered me a place on his crew. As his navigator."

"Nata-Nami," Natasha said softly.

"And I said yes. I joined his crew, and we travelled, looking for adventure, and freedom, and happiness. I'm not a bad person. My captain wasn't a bad person. We were just slapped with that because all pirates have a reputation because of our flag. And the government hates us because they can't control us. They cower under the illusion of power. Hell, Luffy has the most power in the world right now, and he isn't even alive anymore!"

"Luffy?" Natasha questioned. "I know that name. That's the Pirate King's name."

Slowly, Nami raised her hand back to her shoulder and rolled up her sleeve.

Natasha recognized the mark on her shoulder. Cat-Burglar Nami's tattoo. Of course, she knew her sister went by Nami now, but to actually be a pirate from the most powerful crew on the sea?

"Nami," Natasha said quietly, and Nami choked back a sob as she looked out over the water. "Mom will just be glad to know you were happy. So will Dad. He was a marine, but he's retired now and he wouldn't care. And I'm happy that you're alive. I've always wondered what kind of person my sister would be if she had a chance to grow up. And now I know."

Nami snorted and rubbed a hand over her eyes, "And now we're both old."

"We're only twenty-seven!" Natasha protested.

Nami agreed to tell their parents the truth, and both Clarissa and Rhett were horrified to discover this. And they were even more shocked to discover that Nami was a proud member of the Pirate King's crew. She stopped keeping it a secret, and she even gave the mayor their flag to hang in the harbour to ward off any future attacks.

"I know I shouldn't ask this, but you said that Strawhat Luffy died. Is it really safe flying his flag when he isn't here to protect us?" Clarissa looked concerned as she stared up at the newest addition to the port.

"We have thousands of allies that are around. We have a large following, and people who are willing to do anything to keep his memory alive… The revolutionaries are on our side too, and with them keeping his secret it's much easier than trying to do it on our own. They knew about his death the moment it happened. They had his vivre card. But they agreed with us, that we should keep his death a secret."

"For how long?" Rhett asked. "The death of the pirate king would be hard to keep a secret."

"For as long as we can," Nami said. "This era belongs to us. To him. And he will reign for as long as possible."

Before she left she planted the tangerine sprig Nojiko had given her beside the memorial monuments. She taught Natasha how to care for it and when she left she promised to keep in contact and visit whenever she could. And then she continued on her quest.

She did visit often. Whenever she passed the island she made a point to take the extra few days to make the detour. She got to know the rest of her family, but the member she got along with the most aside from Izumi was her little brother Riley. Once he was old enough to know the truth about her, he would beg her to tell him stories about her adventures and about all the pirates she met.

His current obsession was on the newest emperor, and Nami had to do a double take when she saw the wanted poster.

"Usopp?"

"Yeah," Riley exclaimed brightly. "He's so super strong, and amazing, and he's so cool!"

Izumi snorted, "Not the kind of person I'd look up to."

Nami shrugged, "He's not that bad a guy."

"You know him?" Natasha asked.

"Uh, yeah. This is his third wanted poster. You guts might know him as Sniper King, or God Usopp."

"I've never heard of the second title," Natasha mused. "Sniper King, though, I've heard of. He was… Wait, Sniper King was a member of the Strawhats. He was your crewmate?"

"That's right."

Izumi groaned, "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. I had the biggest crush on Sniper King when his wanted poster first came out. Is this what he looks like behind the mask?"

"That's right. He's the one who built my climatact," She patted her holster. "He may not look all that impressive but he is really smart and he was a valuable member of the crew. And he's probably richer than any of us are… Although when we split up, I never imagined he'd get this far. Go Usopp."

Riley spent the rest of Nami's visit pestering her about getting the Great Captain Usopp's autograph.

...

When she reached the island they lost Luffy on she hurried, not wanting to spend any more time than necessary. She coloured that particular island red instead of following her green and brown colour scheme (for years, historians and geographers would wonder over that particular colouring and its significance) and moved on.

After sixteen years of traversing the Grand Line, travelling up and down the length of it and making sure she had reached every single island, she travelled to East Blue when she heard about the Emperor Usopp's execution, held in Loguetown. She stood at the back of the crowd to stay under the marines' radar, her hand wrapped tight on her climatact. She cried when the silver blades came down, the flashing silver of the blade piercing his flesh and coming back red.

He was the second person in their crew to die, and this was the first time she saw him since they split up all those years ago. She left the plaza when the celebrations started, taking refuge in her room. Seven people left. She wondered if the rest of the crew knew, she wondered if their allies knew. They must have. She wondered what the people of Dressrosa would think, seeing their God struck down by the World Government.

She constructed her climatact and ran a hand down the handle, seeking the familiar comfort. When dusk came, she emerged from her room and picked up a flower from a street vendor. A single yellow daisy. She made her way up to the graveyard behind the marine base on the island and snuck in through the back gate.

Usopp's grave was easy to find. It was the only one that had fresh turned dirt. The grave was unmarked, just a single stone. Nami grit her teeth. Usopp deserved far better than that. She drew out a dagger and carved an x into the marker, as deep as the hilt of the blade and twice as wide. Then she placed the flower on top and said her silent goodbyes.

When she turned to leave, she met a pair of eyes watching her from the back gate. Nami jumped, and readied to defend herself before realizing that she was looking into the eyes of a child.

Nami knelt down and sheathed her dagger. "Hello," She called gently, and the child backed away. "I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Nami." She held out a hand.

"You puttin' a flower on that pirate's grave. Does that mean you is a pirate too, lady?"

"Yes. But I'm not a bad person. I'm very nice."

"Mama said pirates was bad people. She said dada was a pirate and he was mean and bad and left her by herself."

"Not all of us are mean." Nami said. "I'm a very nice pirate. I promise."

Slowly, the child stepped forward, and Nami noted the filthy feet, tangled hair, and rags they wore. "Kiva. That my name."

"It's very nice to meet you, Kiva. Do you need help getting home?"

"Don' has a home," Kiva murmured.

"What about your mama?"

"Mama gone."

"Do you have any other family?"

"Nu-uh."

"Alright." Nami stared at the child and was reminded of herself. They couldn't have been older than four, maybe even three years old. "Do you want me to be your family?"

Kiva's eyes brightened. "You wanna be my family?"

Nami smiled gently, "Yes. I can be your family."

Kiva looked down at dirty hands, and then ran forward to latch onto Nami. "I wanna be your family. Please."

Nami wrapped her own arms around the child and lifted them up. "Okay."

...

"Well, her letter does say that she found her biological family," Zack pointed out, as Eugene finished translating the letter and told the others what it said about Admiral Kiva. "Which means that she was adopted by whoever raised her. Doesn't really matter if her daughter was adopted instead of being the rumored Pirate King's kid."

"Ages don't match anymore, anyway," Felix said. "We know the Pirate King died before he was twenty six. She would've been twenty seven at the latest possible age to have the kid. Records show that she was 43 when she had her kid. But… That might be different now, since the kid was adopted. But I suppose if Admiral Kiva was that age, she would've joined the marines when she was twelve, which was way too young."

"Then the kid, Kiva, had absolutely no connection to Monkey D. Luffy?" Rachel said with a frown. "I suppose this will put the supposed descendants of her down a few notches."

"They'll probably fight the claims," Zack said with a shrug. "Rich people always do that."

"Phoenix Industries still refuses to do business with them, though; they've always claimed that they weren't actually related to him." Carter pointed out.

Rachel made a few notes in her journal, "We can deal with that later. Right now, we need to make sure all of our proof is verified." She sighed, "This would be so much easier of their CEO would cooperate with historical societies. Carter, you've met the CEO, right?"

"Only in passing," Carter said. "I was borrowing a few old documents to finish a research paper on the supposed biology of Devil Fruits."

"Alright, so after she found her daughter what happened?" Nicole brought everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

* * *

When cleaned up Kiva turned out to be a fine young girl. Her hair, when washed and untangled, hung to the middle of her back and was a lovely dark brown, and her eyes were just as blue as Sanji's were. She was a very curious and inquisitive child, always getting into mischief and asked a lot of questions. She was always happy to travel, and despite her constant complaints of the heat in South Blue or the cold of North Blue, she was always happy to come across a new place.

She picked up drawing really quick, often stealing Nami's scrap paper and old pens to draw with. When Nami found out, she began teaching Kiva about the basics of mapping, even going as far as to add some of her island sketches to her growing book of maps. She had yet to bind them into a proper book, but she was getting close.

When she did finally finish, she returned to Cocoyashi Village for the first time since she boarded the cruise ship over four and a half decades ago. She introduced Kiva to her first family (and the girl got along better with them than she did the family on Senra Island). She moved into Bell-mere's old home and set up a study in her old bedroom. She was glad it was empty, since Nojiko had gotten married and moved in with her spouse. She took Bell-mere's old room, and Kiva set up her stuff in Nojiko's old room.

Then she spent the next few years creating her book. She started with East Blue, each island having its own individual page, and then finishing with a map of the entire East Blue. She followed the same pattern with West Blue next, followed by North Blue, and South Blue. The Grand Line was next, and the New World came last. The very last page of her book was a map of the entire world. From the cold north to the sweltering south, from the Twin Capes to Raftel. It was all there. She had been around the entire world. Nami sat back. She was done. It had taken her a lifetime. She felt complete.

Her hands were permanently stained with ink, she had thick calluses on her fingers from holding a pen, and her skin was leathery from the sun. And she couldn't be any prouder. She brought out the book for Kiva to see that night, and they cooked up a feast to celebrate. That was also the night Kiva admitted she wanted to be a marine.

"I know you don't like them, Mom, but I think I can make a difference. If I can become Fleet Admiral I can start controlling what they do, right? And I can make the decisions about executions and which pirates to go after. That way I can get rid of the corrupt pirates."

"Kiva," Nami held up her hands to stop her daughter's ramblings. "I've told you this before. You can do whatever you want. If that means you want to be a marine, then I'm not going to stop you."

"I thought you'd be mad," Kiva admitted quietly. "You hate most of them."

"I hate most pirates too," Nami pointed out, "And I still call myself one."

"That's true…" Kiva picked at her food. "I don't want to disappoint you."

"You could never disappoint me," Nami assured Kiva. "Never."

"Thanks, Mom."

Nami realized that this is what Bell-mere must have felt when she took in her and Nojiko. She knew that her life as a pirate and her constant travelling meant that she would never have any children of her own. She had briefly considered settling down and getting married, but had dismissed the thought as soon as it appeared. No man could ever be as important in her life as Luffy had been. Maybe she and Luffy would have gotten married one day, but she never had the courage to talk to him about something as serious as that, and then it had been too late.

If she was being completely honest with herself, she never gave having children much thought until she ran into Kiva. It had been difficult at first, adjusting her lifestyle to include another person, when she had been on her own for so long. But looking at the young woman sitting in front of her now, she felt proud. She helped raise this person, a person who wanted to do the world good.

"I assume that means you want to come with me when I go to get this published, right?"

Kiva smiled sheepishly, nodding.

"Well then, you had better start getting packed. We'll be stopping at Dawn Island first, and then I can take you to the marine base in Shell Town to get started."

"Really?!"

"Yes really. Now if you're finished eating you had better start getting ready."

Kiva jumped up from her chair with a cheer and dashed to her room. Nami heard her scrambling around enthusiastically, and remembered being that age. That was decades ago, now and she was getting old. Her hair, once a brilliant orange, was now white. She had laughter lines around her eyes and lips, and her joints ached more often than not. Ah well, the next generation was getting started.

...

Like Nami promised, they travelled to the Goa Kingdom. It was a fairly easy trip, and Nami let Kiva do all of the navigation. It wasn't a surprise that they made it quickly and safely; Nami had full confidence in her daughter's abilities. They disembarked in High Town and made their way to a print shop at the edge of High Town and Edge Town.

"Hello!" The cheery old man at the counter greeted. "How may I help you today?"

Nami hefted her bag and pulled out her atlas, dropping it in front of him. It landed with a loud thud, making the shopkeeper jump. "I'd like to get this published."

He blinked sceptically at it, "Ma'am, we do have a page limit. This definitely exceeds it."

"This is a map of every island in the sea from here to Raftel," Nami said bluntly. "I think you would be willing to spare no expense publishing it."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened as he pulled the book towards him and turned it around. Opening it, he started flipping through the pages. AS he progressed, he got more and more excited. "Excellent! Amazing! Glorious! This… This is incredible! All of this… It's your work?"

"That's right."

He reached the final page and stopped, his jaw dropping in shock. It took him a moment to come up with a coherent sentence. "This… It's the whole world?!"

"It is," Nami confirmed.

"How in the world did you manage to draw Raftel?" He nearly demanded. "Only the two Pirate Kings and their crews have ever been there, even in this day and age."

"My name is Nami. I was the navigator for the Strawhat Pirates." She was no longer afraid of being recognized. She was too old to care anymore.

"I… I see."

"Oh, don't give me that. I'm much too old to continue pirating. I just want to get my maps published. To prove to the world I travelled and completed my dream."

"Al-Alright. I'll do it." Nami could almost see the beri signs in his eyes and could relate.

They spent the next few hours negotiating terms. Nami set Kiva loose to have some fun so she wouldn't get bored handing around the shop, and then discussed price, royalties, inscriptions, and materials. They struck a deal; Nami spent a few nights in the city while the shopkeeper printed the first few copies of the second edition. She went back to pick up her original copy at the end of the week, and then travelled around the island to Windmill Village.

Makino greeted her, looking too old to still be working the bar. But the old woman remained cheerful, despite her missing son. She informed Nami that she was the last one to come by, so when Nami wrote her letter she brought the metal box up with her.

It was a long, hard track up the mountain. Nami missed her younger, fit body. But finally, she reached the gravesite.

She took a seat in the soft grass, and took a look at the sheer amount of keepsakes were around. Everything from Zoro's sword, standing guard over the stone, to Sabo's top hat, to the Alabastian Royal Crest. It showed her just how many lives Luffy had touched, and how many people cared for him.

Just sitting here, beside him, she felt like she was back on the Thousand Sunny, lying in the grass with one of Sanji's drinks. She could almost hear him laughing. How she missed that sound. She basked in his presence, knowing that he would have been absolutely ecstatic about her finally drawing the world.

"Captain," She finally greeted. "It's been such a long time. But I've finally done it. I've been to every island in the world, from the top of the Red Line to the bottom of the ocean. I just wish you could have been beside me while I did it."

She sighed, breathing in the crisp mountain air. "I've done so much with my life. I found my biological family, I adopted a kid, and I travelled. It was hard, after you died, but I've had a good life." She reached forward, tracing his name with her finger. The stone was rough under her ink stained fingers. "You were the first person to look past my abilities and see me. You wanted me because I was your friend. Not just because I was a good navigator. You didn't care how ugly my past was."

She reached for his hat, carefully picking it up and placing it on he her head. The nearly forgotten feeling was comforting, and she sniffed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Why was it me you threw your hat to? Why did you have to die?"

She would never get her answers. She gripped the brim of his hat and cried. Tears streamed down her face and splashed into the dry dirt below her. It was a long while before she finally lifted her head. Slowly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her log pose. The same log pose Crocus had given them when they first entered the Grand Line. She carefully set it down beside a model of the Thousand Sunny. Then she grabbed the metal box, opened it, and placed in her letter, her book of maps, and the log book she still had from their journey together. She could see another book in the box already, and the sheer number of letters all addressed to Luffy astounded her. She smiled, closed the box, and set it right beside the grave. It would not be opened for another thousand years.

She stood up and picked up the amulet. The metal shone brightly in the sunlight, no sign of its true age, and she opened it.

More tears began to fall, and she replaced both the amulet and the hat.

The last thing she did was plant a tangerine sprig behind his grave, willing it to grow and protect. "Thank you, Luffy. The world will never forget you."

...

She and Kiva arrived in Shell Town a few days later. They walked slowly up the road together, Nami giving her daughter last minute advice. They ran into a young recruit on their way, and the young man was very happing to introduce Kiva to the base's commanding officer. The interview didn't last very long. They took one look at Kiva's skills as a navigator and practically hired her on the spot.

Nami stayed in town for a few more days, ensuring Kiva got settled in. The last thing she did before heading home was give Kiva her climatact.

"Make me proud," Nami said.

"I will, Mom. I promise."

Nami sailed back in the direction of Cocoyashi Village, and then changed her mind. She picked up a compass, picked a direction, and set off. She wasn't going to die sitting at home. She was a pirate. She was a Strawhat Pirate. She was going to live life to the fullest, until her very last moment.

* * *

"We still don't know what happened at Red Island," Seth said, as Rachel finished speaking.

"No, but I have a theory."

"Oh?" Felix looked at his partner. "Do share."

Rachel frowned, and then shook her head. "I'll tell you later. I still need more evidence."

"Come on," Zack sighed, "You got us all worked up for nothing."

"Stop whining," Seth jumped to Rachel's defence. "I'm sure Rachel has a perfectly good reason for not telling us yet."

"Thank you, Seth," Rachel said. "So the adoption of Kiva and the completion of the atlas were what the Cat-Burglar achieved after the separation of the Strawhat Pirates. Quite an accomplishment for a single person."

Nicole continued to flip through the atlas, coming to the dedication page. "This is a translated version," she said, looking up at Eugene. "Is this a direct translation?"

"No," Eugene shook his head. "The people who translated that edition wanted something that would flow, because it sounded kinda choppy in today's languages."

"What should it say?" Nicole asked.

Eugene dug a notebook out of his pocket and flipped to a page near the beginning. "Ah, here." He held it out for her to take.

Nicole read it out loud. "From hometown port to the end of the sea. North to South, East to West. Tell me where to go and I will get you there. I will see the world, and let you see it all through my eyes. April 18, 1526 – June10, 1567." She sat back, "What does that mean?"

"Who knows," Eugene said. "But it must have been important to her. Enough that she used it on the dedication of the most important book at the time."

Well, I'm sure she knew its significance."

"I wouldn't worry about it that much," Rachel said. "All of the Strawhats were elusive and secretive. It was probably meant for the rest of the crew, and not anyone else."

"Interesting," Carter said.

"Yeah, but not helpful," Zack said.

"Anyway," Nicole closed the atlas and handed Eugene back his notebook, "Get back to digging. The more we find the more funding we get. GO!"

"YES, MY LOVELY NICOLE!"

"Can I help?" Carter asked, "This looks interesting."

"Sure," Zack said, jerking a thumb at Seth, "So long as you can stand that lovesick idiot."

"We need to get back to work as well," Rachel said. "We found the first edition of her atlas in this box, and Eugene needs to translate it. Felix. Finish the ship. How much longer do you need?"

"Not that much longer now. This is gonna be some of my best work to date!"

Nicole stayed put as they all dispersed, before opening the atlas to the page that held Red Island. "Mysterious indeed. What happened a thousand years ago?"


	3. About

Chapter Three: Usopp

ABOUT

I'm not a liar, I'm a storyteller, and I'll make sure all my tales come true.

* * *

"HOLT SHIT GUYS GET OVER HERE NOW!" Carter's voice echoed over the dig site. His uncharacteristically loud shout and swearing drew a lot of attention. Everyone on the team headed over to the pit.

"What is it?" Rachel asked, being the first person to arrive at the edge. She looked down at a hyperventilating Carter halfway up the slope, and Seth and Zack crouched beside the gravestone. They weren't even arguing about being so close to one another, which was also very unusual.

""Look!" Carter exclaimed, flailing his arms in the general direction of Seth and Zack. "It's… IT'S…!"

"Calm down," Eugene ordered, appearing behind Rachel. "Take a deep breath."

Carter did so.

"Now," Eugene slid down into the pit, coming to a stop beside the panicking student, "What is it?"

"IT'S SNIPER KING'S MASK!" His shout sent several people into a frenzy, shouting and pointing.

Rachel's eyes widened and she jumped down after Eugene. Felix and Nicole had arrived just in time for Carter's exclamation, and Nicole threw her hands up into the air. "Seriously?!" She nearly shrieked. "Well I suppose even more mystery is totally what we deserve. Why couldn't this have been a simple dig? It's my first time without a senior analyst around!"

"Carter's right," Seth said, moving to the side as Rachel approached them. She crouched in the dirt and stared at the mask still half buried in the ground. "Unless this is a very good imitation, it's actually Sniper King's mask."

"I'll take it from here," Rachel ordered, holding out a hand. Seth obligingly handed her his brush. She didn't take her eyes off of the mask as she started brushing dirt away. Felix started helping her, using a variety of more delicate tools to help with the extraction. By late afternoon, the entire mask had been cleared of dirt and was being carried to the tent.

Rachel still refused to be more than a foot away from it. "A historical discovery of this magnitude," She muttered, more to herself than her colleagues, "People have been searching for this for centuries. It's a miracle. A real miracle! I can't believe I'm actually holding this in my hands right now. Other people claimed that it was lost, sunk into the sea or destroyed. But it's here!"

Felix put a large hand on her shoulder, "Calm down there, Rachel. I know you're excited, but we still need to keep cleaning it."

Eugene took a seat across the table and carefully spread out the contents of the metal box. The three books were placed to his right, a sheaf of sheet music was placed to his left, and he lined the letters up right in front of him. "Sniper King must have written something, right? Everyone else on the crew did. All of their names are here. Hell, even Shanks and Marco the Phoenix left something. Were they allied? Sniper King did help them while they were on Water 7. But he was never seen with the crew since!"

Eugene moved the letters of the known members of the crew to the side and read out the remaining names. "Bartolomeo, Marco, Leo, Cavendish, Rayleigh, Orlumbus, Coby, Ideo, Hajrudin, Usopp, Shanks, Sai, Queen Vivi? Law, Jimbe, Sabo, Bentham, Hancock, Dragon, holy crap this guy has a lot of allies.

"I recognize some of those names," Nicole said. She pointed out seven of them. "These people were the captains of crews in the Strawhat Grand Fleet."

Eugene removed the letters from the pile. "Okay, that still leaves us with eleven possible people."

"Well, Hancock and Vivi are both girls, so you can take them out." Nicole pointed out.

"Nine people left."

"Oi, ain't Rayleigh the Silvers Rayleigh that sailed on the first Pirate King's crew?" Felix asked.

"Eight people left." Eugene said, moving Rayleigh's letter. "This is crazy, what if he didn't leave a letter?"

"It's possible, but let's keep trying to narrow down the list." Rachel didn't even look up as she spoke. "Marco was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, so it couldn't have been him, and Coby was a marine. He wouldn't have been Sniper King either. Trafalgar Law didn't meet the Strawhats until after the incident at Water 7, so that takes him away from the possible candidates. Both Dragon and Sabo were revolutionaries, so I doubt it could have been either of them."

"Alright, that leaves us with Bentham, Usopp, and Jimbe." Eugene said, listing off the last three names present."

"Bentham was in Impel Down while the Strawhats were in Water 7," Carter said.

"Okay, so it was either Usopp or Jimbe."

"Usopp was an Emperor and was active the same time as Strawhat," Nicole pointed out.

"So then this Jimbe guy was Sniper King?" Eugene said, picking up the last letter and unfolding it. It took a while for him to translate the letter, but when he finished a couple of days later he approached the team with a dismayed expression. "It's not him. This Jimbe guy was the captain of a crew called the Sun Pirates. Met Luffy when he was breaking out of Impel Down. He mentions Fishman Island a few times; thanks Luffy for taking down a pirate called Arlong, and then express his grievances that he wasn't able to catch up in time to join the crew before Luffy died. There's absolutely no mention of Sniper King!"

"You can't be serious," Nicole gasped, and Rachel actually looked up from her work.

"I am," Eugene tossed a notebook onto the table, "The translation is in there. It's not Jimbe. If anything, this Jimbe guy makes me think Fishman Island is more than just a legend. He claims to be a fishman himself."

"But that's just a myth."

"Well," Carter spoke up nervously, "Devil Fruits are a myth too, but there is biologic backing to prove that they could have once existed. Maybe these fishman just went extinct?"

"It's a possibility," Rachel said. "Why don't you take a break from translating and go help the dig team, see if we can't find anything else that connects Sniper King to the Pirate King. I'll let you all know when I've finished cleaning."

Eugene nodded, and trudged away to find Zack and Seth, while Nicole took the notebook and flipped through it. She found the entry quickly enough, and took a seat while she read through it. Eugene had been right, if his translation was correct. Absolutely nothing on Sniper King. She snapped it shut and sighed, crossing her arms and resting her head on them.

"Cheer up, little missy," Felix said with a grin. "You seem like a real smart kid. You'll figure it out. We just need a few more clues."

Nicole nodded dejectedly.

To their luck, the clue came the next day. Rachel had finished cleaning the mask and was running through some of the old seams and cracks with a toothpick. She came across a strange bunch of markings near the bottom and investigated.

"Someone go and get Eugene," She ordered. "Tell him to be ready to translate."

Carter dashed from the tent to the pit, and Eugene cleaned himself up before approaching Rachel and Felix.

"Take a look at this," She said, handing him the mask.

Eugene carefully took it, surprised that Rachel trusted anyone else to touch it. "Where am I looking?" He asked.

"The inside of the mask, bottom right. Something's been carved there."

Eugene accepted the magnifying glass Felix held out and examined the faint carving there. "It says Usopp," he told the others, who were hovering anxiously. "It… it says Usopp! That means…"

"We got our hint!" Nicole cheered. "Eugene, translate that letter right now! I want to know everything." Eugene carefully handed the mask back to Rachel and then was shoved into the chair by Nicole. "You wait there; I'll get your stuff!"

"Wow," Zack drawled, "She's actually doing you a favour. Better relish in that now because it's never going to happen again."

"DON'T INSULT NICOLE YOU BARBARIAN!"

"Shut up, the both of you," Nicole pushed through them and handed Eugene his notebook, pencil case, and the box the letters were being stored. "And go start digging again. Eugene needs his peace and quiet." The two of them were ushered out of there while Eugene got to work.

* * *

The people from the village still hadn't noticed he had returned. Usopp had walked up the slope from the beach almost a week ago, his bag slung over one shoulder and his slingshot in his hand. The new, albeit small, port had several people working it and he recognized all of them. They had taken his boat and docked it for him, all the while not realizing it was him.

It was a strange feeling. He knew he had changed, but to have changed so much the people of his own home village didn't recognize him was disheartening. In the time he was home he had cleaned his home and unpacked a bit, but spent most of his time on the cliff beside his house staring out at the water.

The town had changed too, while he had been away. He had noticed while he had been walking home, the expansion of the town and the increase in people. There were several more buildings, a new road, and Kaya had apparently opened a clinic on the main level of her house.

He still had to go visit her. He hadn't told anyone that he was back yet.

When dinner time rolled around, he got up and made his way to the tavern. He was going to make a dramatic return, he decided. Show all the people who thought he would amount to nothing what he really became. Walking into the building, he drew a few stares, but that was normal. Any new visitor got the same treatment. He ignored them and took a seat at the counter. The old bartender took his order, but he did raise an eyebrow.

"Oi mate, how long you gonna stay here?" The man beside him asked, striking up a conversation. "Not much to find here. I'm surprised you stayed this long."

Usopp shrugged, "Until I set off again, I suppose." The bartender placed a tankard in front of him.

"You looking to be a merchant? We don't get ships all that often."

"Nah," Usopp shook his head. "Pirate."

That brought a laugh, "Nice choice of career there, mate. You looking for a specific position?"

"Captain," Usopp said. "I was the sniper on my last crew."

"Ah, yeah. Good talent, especially for a youngster life yourself. You got any good sailing experience?"

"Well, I was a New World pirate," Usopp said. "I've got more than just sailing experience."

"Right, right, sniper, yeah? You get into a lot of fights?"

Usopp grinned, "Oh yeah. You wouldn't believe some of the trouble my captain would get us into. He'd always get into fights because he didn't like someone's attitude, or drag us on some crazy adventure because it sounded interesting. Challenging a goddamn Emperor because of a spat over candy was probably the stupidest thing he did, and he charged into the Paramount War without a second thought."

By now several other people were listening in on the conversation. "Wow, that does sound rather… eh, farfetched. An Emperor, you said? Ah…"

"What, you don't believe me?" Usopp asked.

"No, no, none of that. I believe you. Seriously. Wow, you must be strong. But what are you doing back in East Blue of you're part of a crew that powerful? Don't tell me, the Emperor you challenged defeated everyone?"

Usopp's face clouded, "No, that didn't kill my captain. Something else happened. Either way, I'm here now. I'm taking a bit of a break to get some things in order before I set off again."

"You looking for a crew? My name's Ricarda."

Usopp hummed into his drink, but shook his head. "I'm not looking for a crew at this point, and I already know your name."

Ricarda raised an eyebrow, "Ohh? Have Barry and Timone been talking about me, because I swear I did not–"

"I haven't heard anyone talking," Usopp said. "C'mon, you don't recognize me? I'm almost insulted."

"Recognize you? I ain't ever seen someone like you before. 'Specially someone with that much power."

"Wasn't this powerful when I left home the first time," Usopp said.

"No one is," Ricarda said. "But seriously, who're you?"

The bartender finally placed Usopp's meal in front of him, "He's Usopp."

More people than just Ricarda started laughing at the bartender. "You must be going blind in your old age, Billy!" One of the dock workers named Gert laughed. "Comparing that scrawny liar to this guy… What a joke!"

"No, he's right," Usopp said.

"I… What?"

"I'm Usopp. I'm the same scrawny liar that left this village four years ago."

"No way. Wait, you're joking, right? Ha! Good one."

Usopp shrugged and continued eating. "Believe what you will. I mean, it was strange coming home and having no one realize who I was, but if you want I can wake all of you up at dawn tomorrow while running through the streets and shouting 'Pirates are coming!'. Whadda you say?"

Usopp finished his meal quickly and paid, before standing up and walking through the now silent crowd. The doors echoed when they closed, and Usopp pressed himself up against the wall beside the window to listen to the conversation. People buzzed about him and his return, and a lot of them still didn't believe it was really him. He listened for a few moments longer, and then walked off into the night.

...

The next morning he was woken up by a loud banging on his door and familiar voices shouting at him. Dragging himself out of bed, he opened the door and was pounced on by three familiar people.

"You're really back!" Carrot exclaimed.

"We missed you!" Pepper shouted.

"What are you doing back here?" Onion asked.

Usopp blinked a few times, getting rid of the fog of sleep still in his head, and then broke into a wide smile, "You guys! It's good to see you again! I missed you."

The three boys crowded into Usopp's small house when he stepped aside, and all three of them began speaking at once. They shoved in as many questions as they could, demanding that he tell them every last detail of his adventure. Usopp laughed at their enthusiasm and calmed them down with a promise to tell them everything later. His first order of business was to visit Kaya, since the rumour mill on the island was working quickly.

So he left the boys with the promise to meet up for lunch and went to visit Kaya. He snuck onto her property, climbed his tree, and knocked on the window.

Kaya must have heard the rumour too, because she was waiting for him. She threw open the window and almost launched herself out of it. Usopp caught her and pulled her into a hug. They spun around for a moment, both Kaya and Usopp laughing.

"You're back!" Kaya cried, when her feet were firmly on the branch. She smiled up at him, looking a lot healthier than she did when he left. "Ever since I heard that Luffy found the One Piece I've been waiting for your return!" She felt Usopp stiffen, and she frowned, "Usopp, what's wrong?"

She led him into the house and sat him down, and after a bit of gentle prodding the story spilled out. She blinked back tears as Usopp finished his story with "so that's why I'm back."

"Oh, Usopp," She pulled him close, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

The next few days were spent with Kaya, with the three boys, or alone as he wandered the forest behind the village. The boys made him come clean with his promise to tell them about his adventures, and they dragged him down to the beach. Usopp relented, built a bonfire in the sand, and started telling them the story staring with the crew freeing Cocoyashi Village. He was very active in his storytelling, acting out scenes and shouting. It soon caught the attention of the other villagers, and soon enough he'd have a small crowd of people show up whenever he started recounting his journey. People stopped talking about his entrance at the tavern and the accusation of liar started up again, but Usopp found he didn't care as much this time.

Before he realized it, six months had passed since he returned home. He had fallen into a regular routine, but he was starting to get restless. He longed for the sea, spending more and more time watching the ships by the harbour. This is what his father must have felt, he realized, and found he couldn't blame the man for wanting to set sail.

It was a month and a half later that he heard several of the dock workers talking about a few of the islanders the same age as him planning to set sail. He continued listening and found out that Bennett, a man a few years older than him, had gotten his hands on a ship and was planning to set sail. Anyone who wanted to join the crew was welcome to come.

Usopp took up the offer, and managed to track down Bennett alone one evening.

"You seriously want to come with us?" Bennett asked.

"Yes," Usopp said, "Just until you reach Whiskey peak. I can find my own way after that."

The older boy frowned, "Are you sure? You don't exactly get along well with the others."

"I know," Usopp ran a hand through his mess of back curls and sighed. "But right now it's my only option. Besides, it'll only be a few weeks."

Bennett scratched the back of his head, "I guess you can come. Do you know your way around a ship? You'll have to either pull your weight or pay us for passage."

Usopp crossed his arms and looked mildly insulted, "Course I know my way around a ship. I did spend four years at sea."

"Fine. But if you can't we'll leave you on the nearest island."

"Sounds good," They shook on it.

Usopp helped Bennett and the four others who took the offer load supplies into the cargo hold, and put forward some money to get better sails for the ship. He also brought along a bolt of black cloth, because the others were excited about becoming pirates and prone to forget the simplest of things. More than once Usopp pulled Bennett aside and explained the importance of a particular item or chore.

They loaded the last of the cargo the night before the departed, and there was a mad rush for choice of rooms. Because Bennett was the captain he claimed the captain's quarters. Usopp let them run around and wandered b the ship's railing. His bag was on his back, waiting for everyone to come back out so he could stow his own stuff somewhere safe.

The ship Bennett had was a relatively new model. It was a caravel type, about twice the size of the Going Merry. The wood was smooth and bore very little evidence of weathering. None of the ropes were frayed and he could still smell sawdust instead of salt in the wood. It seemed like a decent ship.

When the others finally made their way up to the forward deck they started arguing over a name for their newly formed crew. Usopp stayed well away from that conversation.

The next morning Kaya, Carrot, Pepper, and Onion came to see Usopp off. Kaya trapped Usopp in a near backbreaking hug. "You're going to be a great captain one day. You'll finally be the Great Captain Usopp."

Usopp held her close, running his hands through her pale hair. "And you'll be a great doctor too."

It wasn't until Evan yelled at Usopp to hurry up that they finally released each other. He pressed a tone dial into her hands, having recorded all of his stories for her.

"You'll make Luffy proud," Kaya whispered. "I know it."

Kaya and the three boys waved until the ship sailed out of sight. He continued staring in the direction of his home island long after it vanished while Bennett, Evan, Vali, and Edwin started partying. They busted out the barrel of beer Vali's older brother had given them and they started drinking.

It was refreshing being back on a ship, with the sea breeze and salty air and constant conversation. He may not get along very well with the people he shared a ship with, but it was nice to be in their company nonetheless. Once they were drunk enough, they even offered him some.

By the time the sun set, Usopp was the only conscious person aboard so he took the liberty of taking in the sails and dropping anchor. He also took watch for the night, resolving to educate the new pirates on the finer points of sailing.

The night was warm and peaceful, so sudden storms or marines showing up. Usopp spread his haki out over the few miles he was able and laid back to watch the stars. When dawn reared its head it was met by pained groans and complaints. Usopp mentally thanked Zoro and Nami for the amount of sake they made him consume. His tolerance was much higher than anyone else on the island.

"Good morning!" Usopp called out cheerfully and earned several vulgar words in response.

"How the actual fuck are you so cheery?" Edwin bit out, squinting up at the crow's nest.

"Tolerance!" Usopp called back, still sounding cheerful. He grabbed a rope and dropped down from the crow's nest. He landed on the deck with a thud, much to the surprise and shock of the others. "You really need to learn how to manage a ship. You might have capsized in the night if you didn't have an experienced sailor with you."

"You mean… you?"

"You didn't bring in the sails," Usopp continued, point up. "Which means that any gust of wind could send you off course. And you didn't lower the anchor. Bad move at night."

Bennett groaned, rubbing his temples. "Right. Johan mentioned that."

"You really should make sure you're prepared before you go out to sea," Usopp said." I doubt anything would have happened to you last night, but it's a lot different in the Grand Line. Besides that, it's always a good thing to be prepared. You should also post a night watch, because once your flag goes up you're going to attract the attention of marines."

"Marines won't waste their time gong after a bunch of nobody pirates," Vali said.

"They will," Usopp warned.

Bennett shrugged, "Usopp's got a point. The marines have been cracking down on all sorts of pirates. It's probably because of Strawhat Luffy. If a pirate can go from zero to three hundred million in a matter of months, anyone can. The marines probably don't want to take any chances."

Usopp nodded, "Although there isn't much chance of any of you actually reaching Luffy's level."

"HEY!" Evan shouted, "We can! If we beat him–"

"You won't," Usopp interrupted. "Take my word for it."

"How the hell do you know?" Evan demanded. "You haven't been on the island, you don't know our strengths. You don't know what being a pirate is like! And you sure as hell don't know what Strawhat is capable of. We'll learn eventually!"

Usopp pressed his lips into a thin line, his right hand coming down to rest on his left forearm, covered by his blue and white striped armband. "That's what you think. I suggest getting ready to set sail, if you're not too hung over. I'm going to get some sleep." He stalked away; fists clenched, and disappeared below deck.

A tense silence followed his departure. Bennett broke the silence by ordering them to start readying the ship for the day. Half an hour later the anchor was secured against the ship and the sails were down, billowing with the morning winds.

...

Usopp joined them later in the afternoon, while they were continuing their argument about a mark. Usopp leaned against a railing behind them and watched with amusement. They had already picked a name, but they still needed a flag.

"What do you think?" Edwin asked Usopp, jerking him out of his daydream.

"Me? I don't know. I'm not part of your crew."

"But you've got to have some ideas, right?" Edwin pressed. "We've got none."

"It'll come," Usopp assured.

"Please?"

Usopp sighed and walked forward to join them. "Alright, fine. Little Island pirates, right? I don't know… what about the outline of our island with crossbones behind it?"

"That doesn't seem creative enough," Vali muttered.

"Doesn't have to be creative. It has to be recognizable, and no offence, Ben, but you don't have any distinguishable features yet."

"Bet you'll call your crew the Long Nose pirates," Evan mumbled, and Usopp shot him a glare.

"Think about it," Usopp continued. "The Whitebeard Pirates have Whitebeard's mustache as their mark. The Strawhat Pirates have a skull wearing a straw hat. Simple, and easy to recognize."

"Not all pirates are that simpleminded," Evan snapped.

"That's true," Usopp said. "Some pirates have special meaning behind their flag and name. The Sun Pirates, for example. A crew made entirely of fishman who grew up at the bottom of the ocean, the sun was something they desired. So that's why they named their crew after that. And the Heart Pirates, I don't know the full story but it had something to do with Law's past. Look, I don't care what you call yourselves."

"What are you going to call your crew?" Bennett asked.

The question took him by surprise, "Well, I'm going to keep it simple. The Usopp Pirates."

"Lame," Vali muttered, earning another glare.

"Didn't do Whitebeard any harm," Usopp snapped.

"Do you have a mark?" Bennett asked; stopping the fight before it started.

Slowly, Usopp nodded, "Yeah, I do."

"Can I see it?"

Bennett only sounded curious, and Usopp couldn't sense any ill-intent, so he pulled out his sketchbook, opened it to the appropriate page, and handed it over. "Here."

"Wow!" Edwin peered over Bennett's shoulder. "That's actually pretty cool."

"Thanks," Usopp smiled.

"You've been planning this for a while, haven't you?"

"A year and a half," Usopp admitted. "It's a personal goal I've got to achieve. I would have found another way to leave if you guys weren't planning to go."

"I see."

"Why?" Evan asked. "You really think you have what it takes? Please, Kaya's probably more ready than you are."

"Evan!" Bennett hissed, elbowing him. "Be nice."

"No," Usopp snapped, straightening. "Say it. Tell me exactly what you think!" He wrapped one hand around his black slingshot until his knuckles went white. "Please, keep telling me that I'm worthless. That I'm never going to make it!" He took a step forward. "I was gone for almost _four years_! You have absolutely no idea what I've been through and you have no right to judge! I know, though, exactly what I went through. _I watched my best friend die saving my life_!" His voice lowered dangerously after his outburst, "Insult me all you want. If my friend chose to die for me, I know I'm worth it."

Evan steered clear of Usopp for the next few weeks, taking off whenever he came within reaching distance. Although a sniper has a much farther reach than an ordinary person. Secretly, Bennett was impressed. Usopp had returned a much different person. He had shadows in his expressions that weren't there before. He had less energy, his excitement had diminished. And the weight in his eyes was obvious to anyone who bothered to look. If his best friend died… That would explain a lot.

No one did bother to look except those closest to him. They had the advantage of knowing the whole story, though.

That was another thing that had changed. Usopp no longer told wild stories about goldfish the size of islands, or fighting mole people, or having eight thousand followers. He had listened to the stories he told around the bonfire, but those felt a lot different from the childish lies he used to tell. Frankly, Bennett missed the old Usopp, the one who would add excitement to the day.

...

"LAND HO!" Vali cried from the crow's nest, pointing port.

"What island is that?!" Bennett called back.

"Loguetown," Usopp answered for him, appearing beside him and pulling down one of the eyepieces from his strange goggles.

"Recognize it?" Bennett asked.

Usopp grinned, "Yup. I remember coming here the first time. It's only about two days from the Grand Line from here."

Bennett nodded, somewhat shakily, "We're getting close."

"Are you ready for this?" Usopp asked.

"I hope so…"

...

Their arrival on the island wasn't very exciting. They didn't have their flag ready so they flew the plain blue flag of a neutral ship. Bennett handed out money and a list of supplies they needed, and told everyone what time they needed to return. They weren't planning to leave until the next day, but they still needed to plan.

Usopp was left to his own devices, and after he handed Bennett a list of his own and told him it was worthwhile to have these items he took off. He spent a while wandering the streets, relishing in the familiarity and the prospects of a new start. He stopped when he reached the plaza and stared up at the execution platform. If Luffy hadn't died in the New World, he probably would have died on that platform.

Usopp turned away. Nothing was waiting for him up there. He spent the rest of the day picking through shops, grabbing several maps and charts, a log pose (and an extra) and any other items he thought would be useful.

Upon his return to the ship he found an unfamiliar person standing on the deck. He looked like an experienced sailor, with dark sea weathered skin and a head full of grey hair.

"Oh! Usopp!" Bennett called out, "This is Finn. He wants to come with us. Isn't this exciting? He's our first crewmate who's not from our island! And he knows the Grand Line!"

"Cool," Usopp said.

"We figured that since we're losing you at Whiskey Peak, we need someone else who has the experience."

"That's a pretty good idea," Usopp said, and then he turned to Finn. "Are you ready to teach a bunch of newbies how to navigate the Grand Line?"

Finn laughed, "I think I can handle it."

Usopp raised an eyebrow, "Good luck."

By the time everyone had regrouped at the ship and Finn had been introduced it was dusk. The crew gathered in the galley, and Usopp stood just inside the door, keeping an eye on the proceedings while still keeping watch. He listened with half an ear as they poured over some maps Bennett picked up and picked their route.

"Which route did you take?" Finn asked Usopp later that evening.

"Don't ask him something like that," Evan said, looking up from a map, "He's never been."

Usopp ignored Evan, "I've been to Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, Drum, Alabasta, Sky Island, Water 7, and Sabaody Archipelago," Usopp listed the names of the islands he'd been to. "I plan to take a different route this time, see more of the Grand Line."

Finn whistled, "I've been to all those 'cept Little Garden, Drum, an' Sky Island. How'd you get off 'o Drum? Don't it take a year for the pose ta reset? And Sky Island? I've heard the legends, but I didn't think it was real!"

"We got our hands on an eternal pose pointing to Alabasta while we were on Little Garden," Usopp explained. "And Sky Island is very much real. After we left Alabasta our log pose started pointing up, so that's where our captain ordered we go."

"Sounds like quite the adventure," Finn said, nodding to himself.

"What are you talking about?" Evan asked. "What's an eternal pose? What's a Sky Island? Why are you talking as if you've been to the Grand Line before?"

"You didn't tell 'em?" Finn asked, widening his eyes at Usopp.

Usopp shrugged, "I've got a bit of a reputation as a liar. No one from the village believed me when I told them. Funny, though, they believed me before I told them who I was."

Finn narrowed his eyes and looked Usopp up and down, "I'd think it was obvious with just a look."

Usopp just shrugged again, "Doesn't really matter. I've been. That's that."

"Impressive resolve," Finn said. "I don' know many people who'd give up their reputations fer something simple like peace of mind in the face of people who question them. If I may ask… Yer crew. Why ain't you with them? People like you don' make it that far just ta split up."

"…Shit happened," Usopp pulled off his hat and goggles and ran a hand through his hair. "My captain… He was my best friend. And he didn't make it home."

Finn winced sympathetically, "I'll admit, I don' know how that feels. The rest of ya…"

"It was a group choice," Usopp admitted, answering the question Finn hadn't asked aloud. "We stayed together to complete his goal and then build his grave on his home island, but afer that it was just too hard. He was what kept the rest of us together. Without him, it just felt wrong. Besides, all of us had our own goals."

"What's yers?"

"I'll become a brave warrior of the sea," Usopp voice was quiet, but strong. He grinned at the look Finn gave him and slipped out of the galley before Evan could piss him off again.

...

"Hey Finn," Bennett started the next morning. They were posted at the bow, watching for any sign of the Grand Line. The winds were particularly favourable, and since Usopp had given them a roll of black cloth once they decided on a mark, their newly christened pirate flag flapped proudly in the breeze. Finn had said that it might be possible to reach the Red Line by mid-afternoon.

"Aye, captain," Finn said, "What is it?"

"When you and Usopp were talking last night… What did he mean?"

"I'm assumin' it was 'bout the last bit." Bennett nodded, and Finn sighed, "What do ya know 'bout pirates?"

"Not all that much," Bennett admitted, looking guilty. "I've heard things through rumour and old stories, and the newspaper. And of course everything I've heard from Usopp in the past month."

"Do you know what a Peacemain is? Or a Morganeer?"

"Ah, no."

"Both are pirates, course," Finn said. "Morganeers are the type o' people to plunder and kill. Ah, ya heard o' Blackbeard? He's a Morganeer. Peacemains, on the other hand, are adventure lovin' people who're just in it fer the thrill. Strawhat's crew are Peacemains through and through. Usopp was a Peacemain, and those people can form bonds even stronger than family."

"I've never heard of that," Bennett said. "So that means Usopp lost someone he was very close too. And then his friends all split up? His family split up? But… If you're right and he was this close why did he leave them? Did he not have those bonds?"

"He said it was a mutual decision. And he did have those same bonds, it's impossible not to," Finn explained, "Especially after all you go through together along the Grand Line. Did Usopp ever tell anyone about his crew?"

"Only his closest friends."

"Not you." It was a statement, not a question.

"We used to always make fun of him when we were kids," Bennett said, "We never took anything he said seriously. Although, we do know that someone he was close to died. His best friend. And then last night he said that his captain died. He's lost a lot of people, then."

"Not necessarily," Finn said. "Yer gonna have ta ask him for the full story, I don't have the right ta tell ya. But… I think 'is captain and 'is best friend were the same person. And fer someone like him ta die…"

"You know which crew Usopp was part of?" Bennett exclaimed.

"I got a pretty good idea, but like I said, it ain't my story to tell."

"I… I see. Thank you."

"Anytime, captain."

They reached the Red Line a few hours later. In that time a storm started brewing. Dark clouds obscured the sky, rain and sleet poured down, making the deck slippery. Ropes snapped sharply in the wind. The sails were drawn and tied tightly, and Finn was at the helm. Usopp had his goggles pulled down low over his eyes and was watching intently for the opening.

"PORT!" He hollered the second he caught sight of it, and his voice carried over the raging winds. "TWELVE DEGREES!" Finn turned the ship accordingly, and for a few tense moments the waters pulled them forward. And then they were going up. The rushing waters echoed loudly as waves crashed against the rocks and the hull of their ship. Their whoops of excitement and shouts of horror were drowned out. And then suddenly they were above the clouds. Ice crystals formed and made the ship glint in the sun. The ship reached the summit, launching off of the water in a magnificent display. It hovered in the air a moment, the feeling of weightlessness jarring Usopp. In this moment, everyone except him looked forward, toward the greatest sea in the world. But Usopp looked backwards. Towards the final island. Towards Raftel. It lay there, silent and mysterious, just through the mist. He was a world away, and yet right beside the source of so many people's ambitions.

And then they were falling. Down towards the water. Usopp shouted, feeling the cold spray on his face and arms. It soaked his clothing. And Usopp tilted his head back and cheered with the rest of the crew.

This was where he was going to keep his promise. This was the beginning of his new adventure.

* * *

"I've finished translating the letter," Eugene's voice was quiet, but he immediately had everyone's attention.

"What does it say?" Nicole demanded.

"I don't understand how it's possible, but Usopp and Sniper King are the same person. And from his letter, I think that he was a core member of the crew."

"I suppose that would be possible, with the new information we've discovered," Rachel said. "We believed that Emperor Usopp and Pirate King Luffy were active at the same time, but now that we know Luffy died far earlier than estimated, we do have a bit of leeway."

"Usopp's first bounty came out in 1528, and he was twenty-three years old then," Felix said. "Let's say that him and Strawhat are the same age, that would give at least six years of overlap. It… It is possible."

They were silent, trying to process the information Felix presented. "Alright," Nicole broke the silence, "What else does it say?"

"Ah," Eugene looked down at his notes, "He talks about his responsibilities as a captain, and how he understands how stupid he was when they got into a fight about someone called Merry and then donning the mask to become Sniper King, um… He enjoyed their time together, he was his best friend, and the crew showed him what it was like to be brave… His travels, visiting Elbaf, and his plans to raze Marejois to the ground… His becoming an Emperor, meeting his dad for the first time since he was a kid… And he ends it with this line, 'I know you knew it was me behind the mask. Thank you for letting me keep my pride'. And that's it."

"So he really was Sniper King," Seth muttered. "Incredible."

"This dig keeps getting stranger and stranger," Zack sighed.

"Okay, so we have more information about the timeline," Rachel had dragged a whiteboard under the tent a few days ago, and she started creating a timeline. "Twenty-three years old, Strawhat Luffy must have been younger than that when he died. This fits. It fits perfectly. Let's assume a buffer of a year. Twenty-two. That's when Strawhat died. We don't know where, or when, or even why. But we do know it was around this time. Excellent."

Nicole turned to Eugene, "You're the one who's good at puzzles, can you track his movements?"

"I'll try," Eugene nodded.

"Good, I'll let you keep at it."

* * *

"Ho-holy… crap…" Even murmured, clutching at the railing in a daze. The other members of the crew were spread out an in a similar state, save Finn. Usopp rallied his help to get the sails down and get the ship moving again.

"We made it!" Bennett laughed with a slightly hysterical edge. "We're in the Grand Line!"

"Now you just have to survive the rest of it," Usopp said.

"Don't ruin the moment!" Edwin shouted, but it was only half-hearted and he didn't seem as intimidating sprawled out in the middle of the deck.

"Right," Usopp muttered. "Finn, steer us to the left," he pointed at the canal wall. "It opens up to the Twin Capes in a bit. You can anchor there and get your bearings."

They anchored just off of the rocky cape, close enough to reach land without having to use a longboat. As everyone staggered off the ship, Usopp headed towards the cliff and approached a door that was camouflaged to look like the surrounding rock. They hadn't noticed it until Usopp knocked on it.

"Hey, Crocus! Are you in? Brook! Are you still here?!"

The door creaked open and a wizened face peered through the crack, "You young pirates need to leave me alo-oh, it's you, long-nose."

"Good to see you again, Crocus," Usopp said, as the old man pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped out. "Is Brook around?"

"No, he ain't here anymore. He took off with Laboon a few months ago. Who're they?"

"A new crew who would benefit from some advice."

"And you brought them to me? Heh." Crocus huffed. "They your crew?"

"No, they're a crew from my home island."

"Ah," The old man walked over to the small group and began to scrutinize the five people in front of him. He gave Finn an approving nod, whacked the back of Evan's knees with his cane and poked at Vali's chest a few times, asking them a variety of questions and yelling when they answered wrong.

"Please tell me you know what a log pose is," Crocus finally asked.

"Uh," Evan made the mistake of speaking, and earned himself another round of berating. Finn watched, amused.

Usopp rolled his eyes as Crocus stalked back to his house, emerging a few moments later with a log pose in his hands. "It's because of your crew that I keep these things," He told Usopp as he walked past him.

"Glad to have helped," Usopp said, which earned him a smack to the back of his head from Crocus' cane.

He reached Bennett and handed it to him, "You had better take very good care of this. It's your lifeline. Literally."

Bennett took it with a work of thanks and handed it to Finn, "Are you alright with the position of navigator?" Finn nodded, and that was decided.

They stayed the night on the cape, gathered around a fire. Bennett convinced Usopp to tell one of his stories to pass the time, and he agreed. He talked through the evening, recounting the events that took place on the Sky Island. Crocus woke them all up the next morning, waving his cane and demanding that they learn some sense before they did anything stupid.

"Heh," Crocus laughed, looking at Usopp, "I doubt they could pull any of the shenanigans your crew got into."

"Thanks for the compliment, old man!" Usopp waved as the ship pulled away. They managed to get out of the storm relatively unscathed, and then it was only a day's sail to Whiskey Peak. The morning they docked, Usopp surprised them all by walking out onto deck with his bag packed.

"I was kinda hoping you'd stay with us," Vali admitted. "You're really good at sailing, and I just might believe you've been to the Grand Line before."

"Thanks," Usopp laughed, "But I can't stay. I've got a promise to keep."

"The promise to become a brave warrior, right?" Edwin asked. "Who'd you make it to?"

"My captain," Usopp said. "He died for us, so I've got to make sure my dream comes true."

"So you were telling the truth this whole time," Evan muttered, eyes narrowed at his feet. "All of your stories, they're actually true. They actually happened to you."

"How do you figure?" Bennett asked.

"Because he wasn't the hero." Evan said bluntly.

"Very observant of you," Usopp said. "You're right. My captain was the one who took on the big fights. I hid it as a story to keep you guys from making fun of me."

"I'm sorry," Evan sighed, and everyone looked at him with shock. "What?" He snapped, defensively.

"Ignore them," Usopp said. "Thank you for believing me."

"What crew were you a part of?"

Usopp grinned widely and jabbed his thumb into his chest, "I am the Great Captain Usopp; King of the Snipers, God of Dressrosa, and sniper of the Strawhat Pirates. I will travel the world and take over the oceans. I will keep his memory alive!"

With that final statement he bid them farewell and leapt over the ship's railing. He wove into the crowd and disappeared from their sight a moment later.

"Are…" Edwin began tentatively, "Are you sure he wasn't lying about that?"

Finn laughed, "Nope, he wasn't."

...

Whiskey peak had changed a lot since he had last been there. He had heard about the changed, but the crew hadn't stopped on their way back to East Blue the first time. He took his time exploring the island, meandering through the streets bordered by venders and through the crowds of merchants and pirates. There wasn't a marine in sight.

He found an inn at the end of the main street, and headed there first to drop off his belongings. Anyone walking around a pirate town with all of their belongings on their person was just begging to be robbed. Then he needed to find a ship. It took a couple of days to track down a reputable place; the first two shipyards he found were charging outrageous prices for floating death traps. Most of them tried to swindle him out of his money, but he cut them down quickly when he revealed he wasn't a newbie.

Finally, he was pointed to the other side of the island, and approached the small set of docks with a determined stride. There were several decent looking ships at this dock, and one of them caught his interest.

"Hey," Usopp waved down one of the shipwrights, "This ship here, how much is she?"

"That one," The shipwright ran an eye across the hull. "You interested in buying?"

"That's right. Is she strong enough to survive to Water 7?"

The shipwright scoffed, "My uncle built that ship. Course she can survive to Water 7. She could take you to the New World."

"Good. Details?" He was grateful for all the times Nami dragged him out to help carry supplies. He learned a lot about getting what he wanted from watching her scare shopkeepers.

"She's a barque, fully rigged. Sails might need replacing sooner than later, but with care she'll be a good ship."

"Can I take a look aboard?" Usopp asked.

"Go ahead," The shipwright said, waving his hand and turning back to his task.

Usopp climbed aboard and examined the ship. It was sturdy; the bow was painted an eye-catching silver that faded to gold at the stern. The captain's quarters were located at the back of the ship, and the galley opened into a hallway that had several rooms. Below deck there was a spacious cargo hold and more barracks. Mentally, Usopp started making a list of things he would need. Hammocks, and storage space for his crew. His first mate would get a room upstairs if they wanted it. He'd need several ice boxes, preferably high quality. A stove and lights. He'd need a place on deck to grow his ammo, but he could set up his garden on the roof of the galley.

He emerged from the ship and found the shipwright waiting for him. "Are you interested?"

"Price?"

"Her name is the Coastal Archer, and she's worth one million."

"That's it?" Usopp gaped.

The shipwright held up his hands and took a step back, "Don't blame me for the price, I'm not the one who sets-wait, that's it? What do you mean?" He lowered his arms and stared.

"I mean, that's it?" Usopp repeated. "Aren't ships a little more expensive than that?"

"I suppose they can get pretty expensive, but only the best of the best have ships worth that much. Have you ever sailed on a ship like that?"

"Well, yeah. It cost 200 million for the materials alone."

"Holy crap that's a lot of money!"

Usopp crossed his arms. "I'll take her, though. I don't have the money with me right now, but I can bring it by tomorrow."

"You're seriously going to take her? She's the most expensive ship we've got."

"Yeah."

"Al-alright, I'll mark this one as sold. You can come by anytime in the next week to pick her up. For an extra fee you can keep her at these docks until you set off."

"And how much is the fee?"

"A thousand beri a day."

"Okay, I'll do that. I'll be back tomorrow." Usopp tossed a wave over his shoulder as he walked away from the shipyard.

"Uh… See you then?"

The shipwright looked surprised to see him the next morning, but he took the thick envelope anyway and handed it over to someone else to be counted. The shipwright finally introduced himself as Henry, and helped him move the ship to the other end of the docks for storage once the accountant told him that he had paid the price in full.

"You're a lot more experienced than you look," Henry commented, when they finished tying up the sails.

Usopp groaned, "I get that a lot."

Henry laughed, "It sounds nice, though, having the ability to just sail off without a care in the world."

"You know," Usopp said, "You could come with me."

"Seriously?" Henry asked. "You want me to come with you."

"Yeah," Usopp nodded, "I've learned my lesson about not having a proper shipwright. Whadda you say?"

"I'll have to think about it," Henry said. "I've always wanted to set sail, but I've got a place for me here."

"Think about it," Usopp said. "I'll probably be staying until the end of the week."

The next few days were spent picking up the supplies he would need for his journey. He checked out of the hotel and set himself up in the captain's quarters, had a stove, ice boxes, and several tables and chairs delivered, hung hammocks and started building bunks. He was nearly robbed, and if it wasn't for his observation haki he wouldn't have caught the young girl trying to pickpocket him.

Gemma turned out to be a sweet sixteen year old girl once you got past the fact she was a kleptomaniac, and she turned out to be a decent cook when she was presented with enough food.

At the end of the week, Usopp offered Henry a place on his crew again, and the shipwright finally accepted the position of first mate on the condition they visit Water 7. Usopp showed Henry his eternal pose pointing at Water 7 and the man was sold. The three of them left Whiskey Peak the next day.

When they reached the strip of water that Water 7 was in, they took a detour to the shipbuilding island. They had their ship checked over personally by Iceberg and Paulie, to make sure that the Archer was strong enough to survive the journey. Usopp really didn't want a repeat of what happened to the Merry, and he was just starting to hear a child's laughter at night. Of course, that could have just been Zuzu and Jenny causing mischief, but he didn't want to take any chances. He was going to bring her to the New World unscathed.

When he asked about Franky, Iceberg just shook his head, "Mah, I haven't seen him since your captain convinced him to join your crew."

Usopp's crew quickly made a name for themselves as they grew in size and in strength. Not many people in the Grand Line recognized Usopp as God Usopp, the so-called saviour of Dressrosa, and Usopp decided that was a good thing. He wanted to make a name for himself with his own strength. He didn't want to ride his previous reputation to fame. After a tussle with the Kidd Pirates, a scar stretching across the right side of his face ensured that he wouldn't be easily compared to his previous posters. It was also the fight that got him his first wanted poster as a captain.

Sabaody Archipelago wasn't as crowded with pirates as it was the first time around. His crew had fun, while he himself disappeared for a few days. When he returned, he was being followed by an old man. The same old man proceeded to beat George in a sword fight using only his hands, and then coated their ship for free. Murmurs broke out about who the old man was, but Usopp never said and Henry warned them not to ask.

...

"Are you sure this is going to hold?" Zuzu asked uneasily, staring at the surface of the water from below as the ship began its descent to Fishman Island. "I feel like this is the last thing people see when their ship goes down."

"Stop being so morbid!" Jenny slapped the back of Zuzu's head. "Captain trusts the guy, so it's gonna hold!"

"At least it'll be a pretty death," Denise said, standing at the helm. It was a pretty sight, everyone had to admit. Shafts of sunlight shone down through the water and colourful schools of fish darted around their ship in an underwater rainbow.

"Isn't coating expensive?" George asked. "He probably did a bad job to save on materials. The resign is starting to dry up, apparently. I heard people talking on the island. Coating is only going to get more and more expensive."

"Shut up, you're still angry that the old guy beat you!" Jerimiah accused.

Usopp laughed, "Don't worry, I trust that old guy with my life. He coated the ship the last time I was down here. And the reason he did it for free was because he was a good friend of my old captain's." He turned to look at George, "Don't feel bad about not beating him, he's a master swordsman, on par with Zoro."

George perked up at that, "You mean _the_ Roronoa Zoro?"

"That's right."

"Hey, Captain? What was the old guy's name?"

"He's Silvers Rayleigh," Usopp answered.

The name sounded very familiar to the older members of the crew, and they linked the name to both the pirate kings when they reached Fishman Island. The connection shocked them, but by then they were too taken with the island to even think about asking their captain. They were also shocked to discover the connection their captain had with the residents of the island and the fact that he, a human, was on good terms with the royal family. But the most surprising shock of all was the fact that Jimbe, a former Warlord and rumoured member of Strawhat Luffy's crew had the same x-shaped scar on his forearm. Usopp's crew had only seen the scar a few times in the scarce occasions that he took off his armband, and there were rumours that even Henry didn't know what it was from.

Gemma had been dared once to ask him what it meant and their captain's only response was "It's a promise."

They were reluctant to leave Fishman Island, but the New World beckoned.

...

They spent ten years in the New World, and Usopp's name kept getting bigger and bigger. Someone finally discovered Usopp's actions on Dressrosa, and that boosted his status even more. Articles theorised that he was allied with Pirate King Money D. Luffy, and Usopp did nothing to dispel the rumours that popped up because of it.

Usopp finally visited Elbaf, where he was given a hero's welcome and earned himself his first official alliance. Apparently word had spread about what he did for their kin on Little Garden and Enies Lobby, as well as being allied with Hajrudin through Luffy.

They traveled around the New World, but never going any further than halfway. The memories he had of the final stretch of water were too painful, and he didn't want to think about the day they lost their captain.

Soon enough, Usopp was declared an Emperor by the Government, officially taking Blackbeard's place. Trafalgar Law had taken Big Mom's place, and since parting with them had been extremely reclusive. And Marco the Phoenix had surged ahead and reclaimed Whitebeard's place.

It was with a sick sense of justice that Usopp toasted the news. It wasn't long after the announcement that the Red-Haired pirates visited them. The ship showed up just before sundown, sailing calmly into the bay that Usopp had anchored his ship in. Shanks himself was the first person to jump aboard the Coastal Archer, carrying with him an extremely expensive bottle of champaign.

"I guess I should say welcome," Usopp greeted, standing in front of his slightly tipsy and extremely shocked crew.

"I think I should be the one saying that," Shanks said. "Welcome to the ranks of Emperor, Captain Usopp. Congratulations, by the way. A small time pirate making his way to the status of Emperor in a measly decade, that's nothing to laugh about." Shanks held out the bottle, "The very best Mariejois has to offer."

Usopp took the bottle Shanks held out and popped the cork, sending a spray of liquid into the air. It sparkled in the light of the setting sun before landing on the deck with a _splat_ , marking his acknowledgement as an Emperor and toasting to the future.

He took a swig from the still frothing bottle, wincing as the sharp taste hit his tongue. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and passed the bottle to his first mate to start making its rounds through his crew. He grinned wickedly, the scar on his face stretching and making him look terrifying. "That's right, we're famous now! LET'S HAVE A PARTY!"

The resounding cheer came from both crews, and was deafening.

* * *

"I've looked into his movements, and his first sighting was at Whiskey Peak. He ends up travelling through the Grand Line, makes a strange detour to Water 7, and then enters the New World, where he stays until he becomes an Emperor. After that, he's spotted a few times in East Blue and South Blue, until he returns to the New World. Then he stays there until he's caught trying to climb the Red Line to sneak into Mariejois." Eugene said. He took a deep breath, and tapped his notebook.

"Incredible," Nicole whispered. "I've heard about the aftermath. Didn't his crew practically kill themselves burning down the city?"

"Yeah," Eugene nodded, "And then the Revolutionary Army finished what they started."

Rachel listened intently, "Did he have a grudge against Mariejois? I'll admit, there isn't much known about the city. A lot was lost when the World Government fell."

"Who knows," Seth said. "Just another myth, just like Devil Fruits and fishmen."

"Did he have any descendants?" Zack asked.

"None recorded," Felix answered. "And nowadays it'll be impossible to tell. But I doubt it. He was a pirate practically his whole life, and there were no reports of him ever visiting one island more than necessary. I mean, we've discovered that Red-Haired Shanks had a kid in East Blue, and that was because he was sighted over and over again in that one village."

"Which village?" Carter asked.

Felix opened his mouth, paused, with his mouth hanging open comically, and then snapped it shut. Rachel tilted her head, "Well?"

"Ah, here, actually. Windmill Village. It was at the base of this mountain."

"Wait, here?" Nicole exclaimed. "This very island? Hold on, if Red-Haired Shanks was here a lot, did he know Strawhat Luffy? He was from this island, right?"

"That's right. I wonder what their connection was," Rachel frowned, her brow furrowing as she thought.

"Um, Red-Haired Shanks is probably the same Shanks that wrote a letter," Eugene piped up, pointing to the table where the letters were spread out. "I can translate it if you want."

"Do it!" Nicole ordered.

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Eugene sat and started decoding. He finished the next day. "It was pretty short," He explained, "Just a few things about how much he grew, how Luffy finally surpassed him, and that he could keep the hat."

"The hat?" Rachel questioned. "Is he referring to the straw hat Luffy is known for?"

"Probably," Eugene said. "I don't think any other hat in history is so famous."

Felix snorted, "That hat is more famous than some of the movie stars today."

"Well, it is rather significant," Rachel pointed out. "So did Red-Haired Shanks and Usopp have any other connection besides both of them being Emperors?"

"Not sure," Eugene said. "I'll keep looking."

* * *

In the early hours of the morning the party finally started to wind down. Pirates from both crews lay scattered between the two ships and along the beach. It was only those able to handle their alcohol still on their feet, and that number was rather small. Usopp slipped away from the festivities and turned down another drinking contest, finally escaping to the stern of his ship. He sat on the railing, his feet dangling above the water.

Someone approached him, he felt their presence and didn't turn around when a familiar voice spoke, "I'm surprised you're still not drunk."

"I'm tipsy," Usopp was willing to admit, "But I'm not drunk."

There was a faint laugh from behind him, "Was this what you were expecting when you set out?"

"Honestly, I didn't know what to expect," Usopp answered. "I'm very good at adapting, though. And I'm happy where I ended up."

There was another laugh, this one a little louder. "That's good. I'm glad. Do you… Ah, fuck, I'm no good at this kinda thing. Usopp, Do you–"

"Dad," Usopp cut off Yassop's ramblings and finally turned around.

Yassop stood there, red cheeks and a flustered look on his face. He was scratching the back of his head with one hand, and the other was in his pocket. He looked old, but that might've been the harsh lamplight. "So you do remember me!" Yassop looked happy, "I was worried, and you were so young when I set out."

"How could I forget?" Usopp asked. "You're the one who originally inspired me to become a pirate."

"I… Your mother…"

"She passed away when I was still just a kid," Usopp told him softly. "But she was proud of you."

"She'd be proud of you too," Yassop said, placing one hand on Usopp's shoulder. He pulled him into a rough hug and didn't let go for a long while. "You've grown up so well, and you're successful. A pirate, maybe, but still successful."

Usopp didn't say anything, he just wrapped his arms around his father and held on tight.

"What are you going to do now?" Yassop asked, when the two of them finally pulled apart.

"Well, there's one place I still need to visit, and now that I've become an Emperor, I can. But after that… Who knows? What do you do when you're an Emperor?"

Yassop shrugged, "Not much, anymore. Especially with the decline in pirates. But we are looking for someone right now."

"Going to beat them?" Usopp asked with a smirk.

"No, no," Yassop shook his head, "Not like that. He's actually an old friend of ours. Him and Shanks made a promise years ago, and he's finally fulfilled it. I'm surprised he didn't come running right away, it's been almost twelve years since then. Hey, what's wrong?"

As is father spoke, Usopp went still and he paled. "Luffy."

"What? How'd you know?"

"You're looking for Luffy!" Guilt pooled in Usopp's gut as unwanted memories assaulted him. His face showed shock, anger, and regret. "Shit, I thought you'd know. But… It's a secret, nobody told you. It's been so long…"

"Are you alright? Usopp!" Yassop grabbed Usopp's shoulders, growing concerned. "What's going on?"

"No, I'm not alright. It gets easier, but it'll never be alright!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I…" Usopp shook his head, running a hand over his face. "Just follow me."

Silently Usopp led his father into the captain's quarters, the one place on the ship that no one in his crew had ever seen. Unlocking the door, he ushered Yassop inside and grabbed the lamp hanging beside the door. Holding it up, the yellow light illuminated the walls. A pirate flag with an obvious symbol was pinned to the wall above the bed. A very familiar mask sat on a desk shoved into the corner. And the walls were covered in pictures, sketches, and paintings in any free space that could be found. "You…"

"Luffy was my captain," Usopp said quietly.

"Was?" Yassop echoed faintly.

Usopp pointed out a particular picture, and Yassop took the lamp Usopp held out to get a closer look. There were eight people in the picture. He found Usopp right away, looking much younger than he did now, but a whole lot more harrowed. His son stod between a recognizable green haired swordsman and a small creature in a pink hat. Eight people. And Luffy wasn't there.

"He died," Usopp said quietly, "About a month before we reached Raftel. Blackbeard finally caught up to us."

"Blackbeard killed him?" Yassop's voice cracked.

"They… They killed each other." Usopp said. "He died to save us. We… Finished the journey for him."

It was impossible to deny Usopp's claim. He was telling the truth. The pictures on the walls contained enough evidence, and that wasn't even taking into account the numerous drawings of Luffy and the other members of the crew. Each crewmember seen on paper could have matched the real person, if the pictures on their wanted posters were anything to go by.

"You… Sailed with the pirate king," Yassop stated, confirming it for himself as he watched a glint of pride appear in Usopp's tear-filled eyes.

"Funny, isn't it," Usopp managed to choke out a laugh. "It's because of you that I chose to go with him. When we first met, he knew who I was by my name, because you talked about me all the time. And then when he helped me save Kaya and the villagers from the Black Cat pirates and we worked so well as a team…" Usopp sat down on the bed. Yassop sat next to him, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulders. "He gave me the courage to set out on my own, so that's what I was going to do. And then he asked me to be a part of his crew! He didn't think I was useless, or a liar, and he always made a big show about believing my stupid lies, and so I said yes and we became such good friends. He was my best friend! And then this happened, and it's just not fair!"

Yassop stayed quiet as Usopp rambled on, merely holding him tighter. "My crew is amazing, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. It makes me think, sometimes, what would life be like if Luffy never died? I'd never have met them, and thinking about a life without them hurts. It hurts as much as Luffy's death hurts. I really miss my first crew. I haven't seen them since we built Luffy's grave, and there wasn't even a _body_ to bury."

"At least you made sure he had a good life, with friends he could trust and count on," Yassop said quietly.

"Yeah."

"Shanks is going to cry," Yassop said.

Usopp just nodded.

...

Shanks did cry, when Yassop broke the news to him the next day. The first thing he did was laugh, still mildly hung over, and then scolded Yassop for telling such a horrible joke so early in the morning. The fact that it was well past noon wasn't brought up. Then he started getting angry, yelling to stop fooling around. And then finally, he demanded proof. When Usopp led him into his cabin, he finally broke down and started crying.

Usopp's crew and the newer members of Shanks' crew stood around awkwardly during the whole exchange, not knowing what was going on and staying well away from the angry Emperors. To see such a powerful man break down and cry was something rarely seen. Usopp's crew doubled their concern when they saw their own captain's eyes glossy, indicating he was fighting back tears too. Whatever was going on was big to have two of the most powerful men on the sea acting as they were.

They parted somberly, both crews quiet and a good portion of Shanks' crew with red and puffy eyes. "His grave is in the mountains, on his home island," Usopp said quietly, shaking Shanks' hand just before departing. "Ask Makino, she'll show you the way."

Yassop smiled sadly when he and his son separated, a swell moving the two ships apart. It was unlikely that they would ever see each other again. The Government tried to keep the Emperors from conversing.

It was nearly a month later that Henry finally built up enough courage to ask Usopp about it.

"The two of us shared a friend. Shanks wasn't aware that he died."

"And Yassop?"

"He's my father."

"Okay," Henry didn't press anymore. "What are your orders, captain?"

Usopp rubbed the scar on his left forearm and lifted his head. His eyes sparked with determination. "Set a heading for East Blue," Usopp ordered. "I'm going to visit my captain's grave." He stood up sharply, "ALL HANDS! Prepare to set sail! We're heading to East Blue!"

There was a flurry of movement as everyone prepared to set sail. No one questioned him. They trusted their captain. The Usopp Pirates travelled back to Reverse Mountain, making the journey in half a year. Crocus was no longer at the Twin Capes. Once they were in East Blue, Usopp had to dig out a long forgotten compass and map. He handed them to his navigator, pointed to an island, and told him to get them there.

They arrived less than two weeks later.

...

The villagers weren't very welcoming when they arrived. Usopp knew they wouldn't be, not many of them were aware of his connection to Luffy, and this territory belonged to Red-Haired Shanks. It was unnerving when another Emperor sailed into the area. Men and woman stood with makeshift weapons, ranging from gardening tools to guns and watched apprehensively as Usopp disembarked and approached them slowly.

His hands were half raised in a gesture of peace, and his slingshot hung at his belt, non-threatening.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone!" Usopp called out.

A door creaked open and an old man leaning heavily on a cane hobbled out. "Mayor!" Someone shouted, "Please stay inside, this man is a dangerous pirate!"

"Shut yer mouth, brat, I know him!" Mayor Wood-Slap shouted back, waving a wrinkled fist in the general direction of the voice.

"Thank you," Usopp said gratefully, lowering his arms.

"Don't be thanking me, boy!" He snapped, but his expression softened, "So you're finally here to finish your promise? I was expecting you. Read about your achievement in the papers."

"I've done a lot these past thirteen years, and I want to show him. And say goodbye."

Wood-Slap bobbed his head and hummed thoughtfully, "Good. Very loyal of you. I'm sure he would have been happy to know that he had such reliable friends." He turned away and started hobbling back to the bar, "It's almost dark and it's a long hike. Stay the night and go in the morning."

Usopp nodded, and the angry crowd dispersed with a wave from the Mayor, who gestured for Usopp to follow him inside. His crew booked rooms for the night, many of them glad to have a bed instead of a hammock. As they ordered dinner from Makino, a boy ran up to Usopp and tugged on his sleeve, "My mom says that you know my dad, and the guy who had my name first! Can you tell me about them? Please?"

Usopp smiled at the boy, "What's your name?"

"I'm Ace. And my Daddy is Shanks."

"Ah, I see," Usopp pulled out the chair beside him, and Ace scrambled into it. "How old are you, young man?"

"I'm eleven."

"Really? Only a few more years and you'll be old enough to go sailing. Now let's see. I first met your father about half a year ago, and we partied so hard I can't remember half the night! And I met Fire Fist Ace in Alabasta, over sixteen years ago now…"

Usopp's crew listened intently as Usopp recounted some of his adventures in the Kingdom of Sand. Fifteen years ago, the crew knew, Usopp had been only seventeen. They were under the impression that he hadn't been a pirate until he was at least twenty. They knew he had sailed with a previous crew, but that far back?

...

The next morning was overcast and cool. Usopp woke early and sat at the bar while he wrote a letter. He handed it to the pretty bartender and left the village, following a well hidden but maintained path up the mountain. Several members of his crew, the people who had been with him the longest, followed him. The hike was long, taking nearly five hours to reach the gravesite. While Jenny and Gemma complained about being tired, Usopp never said a word.

They came across an abandoned hut in the middle of a small clearing, and Usopp turned left, following another path until they came to a small, but intricate headstone. Usopp approached, and the rest of the crew stayed a respectful distance away.

It was then they realized who the grave belonged to. If the worn straw hat didn't give it away, the name carved into the stone did. The simple x beneath the name also revealed the origins behind Usopp's scar, which they saw when Usopp pulled off his armband and reveal the red mark underneath.

"Hey Luffy," Usopp started, "It's been a while, hasn't it. I hope you haven't given up on me. I promised you I'd become a brave warrior of the sea someday, and now I have. I'm an Emperor now. Took Blackbeard's place. Bastard doesn't deserve a title that prestigious. Scum of the sea, maybe. Ah, well. Doesn't matter anymore. You got rid of him. Well, the title's mine now, got it 'bout eight months ago. To be honest, I never expected I'd be recognized throughout the sea that way. I'd always thought I'd be known far and wide as your sniper, but… Anyway, I'm here now, and I hope you're proud."

He pulled out a bottle of sake, "I know you don't care for the stuff, but I've grown to like it. I wish I could see him again, apologize for making fun of him. It's a lot different when you understand… I haven't seen him since I was last here–" Usopp broke off abruptly and took a breath. He uncorked the bottle, "I miss them. Miss you too, captain."

Usopp took a long drink, the bitter alcohol comforting. "I wish you could meet my crew. They've done so much for me, and I think you'd like them. I… I understand why, now. Why you died for us. I'm in the same position you are, and I'd die for them in a heartbeat. I understand. I… understand." He took another drink, "I'll always miss you, captain. And thank you so much for everything you've given me. The chance to live out my dream. You'll always have a special place with me, I mean; it's impossible to sail all the way to Raftel without forming those kinds of bonds. My life, I've grown. I've gotten stronger, and I've grown as a person. You helped me through so much…" Usopp tilted the bottle and let the alcohol drain onto the grassy earth.

"I wish I told you it was me behind the mask, but I have a feeling you already knew." He finished the last mouthful of sake and reached into his bag. He drew out a familiar artifact, something the government had offered to pay a hefty price for, and laid Sniper King's mask at the base of the grave, beside a royal blue top hat. He stuffed the empty bottle in his bag and stood up, reaching for the amulet sitting on the brim of the straw hat.

He opened it, stared at whatever was inside for a long minute, and replaced it. "Ha! He had the right idea." When he turned around to face his crew he had tears streaming down his face, but he looked happier than they had ever seen him. "Come on, let's go back to the ship."

"What are we going to do next, captain?" Henry asked, always the loyal first mate.

"Whatever we want!" His step was lighter, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Maybe we can go wreak havoc on Mariejois, those Celestial Bastards have it coming to them. Gotta start of this new Emperor thing on a high note, right?" He followed his crew back away from the grave, and for the briefest of moments, felt like he was being watched. He spared one last glance over his shoulder, and when he saw nothing out of the ordinary he followed the people he would stay with for the rest of his life.

...

 _Execution Report_

 _Name: Usopp_

 _Affiliation: Usopp Pirates_

 _Status: Captain; Emperor_

 _Allience: Red-Hair Pirates; Hajrudin of the Giant Warrior Pirates; Elbaf; Possible Strawhat alliance_

 _Age: 43 Years_

 _Native to: Unknown_

 _Bounty: 4.7 billion beri_

 _Any extra notes: last words were; I kept my promise, I can die happy._

* * *

"Okay, so his movements were rather erratic, and… well, the only thing I'm able to confirm is that he was here, and that's because he left his letter here. But I'm seeing a pattern. At one point or another, all of them returned." Nicole was ready to pull her hair out.

"To do what?" Felix asked.

"I don't know yet." Nicole groaned, "Maybe to give their last respects? But why did they come at different times? It's so erratic! Nami was here almost fifty years after Zoro was. I don't get it!"

"Remember, they were a strange bunch of people. Their reasoning might not be easy to see." Rachel said.

"But that doesn't help us now!" Nicole nearly exploded. "I just want confirmation! Who was connected to him, and when did he die! Is that so much to ask?"

"Apparently," Rachel said.

"You still have that theory," Nicole said. "Can't you tell me? Please?"

"Sorry," Rachel said with a mysterious smile, "I still need some more evidence before I share it."

Nicole groaned and let her head thunk against the table.

"Hey, Rach – Nicole, are you alright?" Eugene slipped through the tent doors and abruptly came to a stop.

"No," Nicole growled.

"Let her mope," Zack said, standing beside Eugene. "Anyway, Eugene found something interesting."

"Oh?" Rachel gave Eugene her full attention.

"I found Usopp's old execution report," He said, holding out a photocopy of the report. Rachel took it and looked it over, the translation scribbled beneath it in pen.

She nodded in approval. "Interesting. And his last words, I wonder what they mean?"

"Not another stupid mystery!" Nicole groaned. "I just want something concrete! No rumours, no myths, just some solid, concrete evidence about these people!"

"Well, I suppose the only way we can do that is to keep digging," Seth said, "There's probably a lot still left that we haven't uncovered. I mean; we still haven't even reached the base of the grave yet."

"Here's to hoping."

"Don't worry," Eugene smiled at her, "We've still got three months left on our contract with the university, we'll make it in time. I'll go help them dig when I'm not translating. Maybe I'll dig up the most stuff, wouldn't that be something! Did I ever tell you about the time I was commissioned by the king of Alabasta to dig up their long lost poneoglyph, because that was an adventure, let me tell you–"

Seth grabbed one arm and Zack grabbed other, dragging him towards the tent flaps.

"If you need us, just yell, my lovely Nicole!" Seth gushed on his way out.

"Hey!" Eugene protested loudly, "I wasn't finished yet!"

"C'mon," Zack grunted, "You can tell us later."

"You guys are so mean!" Eugene protested, and then they were through the tent flaps.

Rachel smiled fondly after them. "They're interesting characters," She said, "But they do grow on you."

"That's true," Nicole nodded in agreement.

Carter stared after Eugene with wide eyes, "He found Alabasta's poneoglyp?!"

"He's lying, Carter," Nicole said, and then laughed, "His stories are entertaining, though. I wonder what he'll tell us next?"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	4. Me

Chapter 4: Sanji

ME.

My food is my masterpiece, and the hungry are those who admire it.

* * *

"Oh, Nicole!" Seth sing-songed, spinning around as he approached her, "I've found something else that might be useful!"

"Oh? What is it?"

With a flourish, Seth held out the set of rusty knives for Nicole to inspect. "This is great! Bring it to Rachel. Do you think Zack would be able to get a hold of his father? If we can remove some of the rust we can start analyzing."

Seth cheerfully dashed to the tent to see Rachel, and Nicole started thinking. "Why would someone leave a set of knives here? I get the sword, but knives?"

"Maybe it was a cook," Eugene said, approaching her. "Seth seemed pretty happy about the find, apparently those knives are an expensive type."

"Expensive? Really?"

Eugene nodded.

"Huh, now that I think about it, we did find another knife. It was a lot more rusted, though, so we thought it was a throwing knife. Maybe it was part of this set?"

"We can compare them once they get cleaned up. Think Zack can do it?"

"It'd be great if he could," Nicole said, "If not, I was thinking of contacting his father."

Eugene nodded, "That's a good idea."

They headed to the tent, where Rachel had laid out the knives on a cloth and was examining them with a magnifying glass. "Good afternoon," She greeted.

They both returned her greeting and sat down to start planning, and a few moments later Zack walked in, holding something in a cloth.

"Found something else with the knives," he said, placing the bundle on the table. The cloth fell away to reveal a small rectangle. "Looks like a lighter."

"It is," Rachel confirmed. "Thank you for bringing it to me. Zack, do you have any experience restoring blades?"

"A bit," Zack said. "I take it you want me to restore those?" He nodded at the knives spread out on the table.

"Yes."

"Ah, I can try."

"Excellent!" Rachel clapped her hands together, "Make a list of what you need and I'll send for them. You can get started as soon as they arrive. "

Zack nodded and left the tent. Seth leaned over the old lighter with interest, "Did they belong to the same person, or were they just close?"

"That'll take some investigation," Rachel said. "Do you want to start cleaning that? It looks rather intricate."

"Of course, Rachel!" Seth got to work, pulling on a pair of gloves and grabbing a dental pick.

A while later Zack returned and handed a list to Nicole. She took it and looked it over, "What is this stuff? Bronze wool? A table clamp? How many different brushes do you need? Acetone? Metal polish? Wax? Oh, this is going to be a big part of our budget!"

"Well you could let me do it with the materials we have here and risk breaking them. Is historical value worth more than the budget?" Zack said.

Nicole groaned, "Fine. I'll submit the list. Maybe you could also work on restoring the sword too. That'll increase its value too."

"Definitely," Zack said with an excited glint in his eye.

Rachel laughed, "Don't worry Nicole, it'll be worth it. Who knows what else we'll find."

"I sure hope so," Nicole said. "Seth, you finished?"

"Yes Nicole!" He held up the lighter, now free of dirt. He flicked it open, and to his surprise a flame was produced.

"It still works?" Rachel looked intrigued. "Interesting."

"Well, I'll go submit the material request, you guys keep working." Nicole stood up and scanned Zack's list again. "I'll be back later."

"I'll await your return!" Seth called after her.

She was able to get the proper paperwork submitted, and someone would be bringing up the materials from the city the next day. She stopped at the edge of the construction, a new road cutting off suddenly and continued on as dirt. The city sprawled out beneath her, and from this high up in the mountains she could see all the way to the water. She tried to imagine it a thousand years ago; lots of trees, and a village at the base of the mountain surrounded by farmland. On the other side was High Town, home to the rich. It wasn't as hard as she thought, to picture Strawhat Luffy's home.

She shook her head and made her way back to the tent, intent on getting Eugene to keep translating. His boss was going to be coming by in the next week to check on his progress, and she actually liked working with him.

To her delight, he was already in the tent with a letter in his hands. "Hey, you figure it out yet?"

"I think so," Eugene said. "I've been scanning the letters for the word cook, and the only person who mentions it is Sanji. He also mentioned smoking, so I think it's a safe bet to assume the lighter belongs to him too."

"That's great! Get to translating. Zack, your stuff should be up here tomorrow."

Zack nodded. They ended for the day, Seth trying to convince Nicole to go to the bar with him, and Carter asking if he could come late the next day. Zack wandered off, and Seth left dejectedly when Nicole turned him down.

They all gathered the next day, Zack walking in with a box. "Met the delivery guy. Got in trouble for trespassing. Tried to convince the security guard that he was on an adventure."

Seth snorted, and Nicole sighed, "We've had a lot of people try and get into this site. We've even gotten some missives from Phoenix Industries. Apparently, their CEO wants to visit. And the board is thinking about letting him."

Zack started unpacking his materials, and Rachel started readying the knives for restoration. "As long as he doesn't try to buy out the operation. He's really bad for doing that. The historical society of New Ohara hates him because he owns the land that most of the Whitebeard Pirates are buried on, and he refuses to let anyone excavate. The company also works very closely with Skypia's historical society, and gives them the funding they need to keep the rest of us out."

"He sounds like a dick," Zack said, as he finished unpacking and starting setting up the table clamp.

"You can ask Carter about him when he comes in," Eugene said. He adjusted one of is hearing aids and looked up from his work. "Also, this is most definitely Vinsmoke Sanji. From what I've been able to translate so far, he was a dedicated cook. He worked at a restaurant called the Baratie while he was growing up. I wonder if he worked at any other restaurants. I mean, _The Red Zeff_ is pretty old, too, right?"

"This was after he ran away from his biological family, right?"

"That's right," Eugene nodded. "In fact, I'm pretty sure he gave up his name. He was raised by a pirate, Red-Leg Zeff, until he joined up with Luffy and his crew."

"What else does the letter say?" Nicole prompted.

"Well, he cursed out… A ball of moss? For stealing his lighter, something that's all blue… I've still got some work to do."

"He cursed out a ball of moss?" Zack repeated with a snort, "Must've been mentally impaired."

"He was a cook!" Seth started arguing with Zack, "His culinary skills have been praised for centuries! He is not mentally impaired! It must be Eugene's translation!"

"Hey!" Eugene shouted, "Keep me out of your stupid fight!"

* * *

Sanji's return to the Baratie was a quiet affair. He arrived during the afternoon lull, just before the dinner rush. None of the customers gave him a second glance as he walked through the dining area of the restaurant and pushed open the door to the kitchen.

Since it wasn't prime time, the kitchen had few people in it, and Sanji recognized none of them.

"Hey!" One of the cooks peeling potatoes pointed his knife at Sanji, "You can't be back here."

Sanji raised an eyebrow. He eyed the knife, but his posture remained nonchalant; a slouched back and his hands shoved casually in his pockets. "You think you can stop me?"

The cook angrily stood up, "If I have to."

"Where's Zeff," Sanji asked the advancing cook, before he could make a fool of himself.

"Owner Zeff?"

"Is there any other shitty geezer by that name?"

"Don't insult owner Zeff!" Another cook yelled from Sanji's left.

"I can insult him all I want," Sanji said, pulling a hand out of his pocket and adjusting the cigarette in his mouth. His nerves had been fried for a while, and he was really hoping for a calm confrontation. Of course, that was a rare event with him, especially since his lighter was missing and he hadn't had a proper smoke in a week.

Three more cooks joined the growing semi-circle, cornering Sanji against the door. "We're not going to let you past us."

Sanji sighed, "Suit yourself."

He made short work of them, and almost felt insulted that they worked at his restaurant. Of course he had to give himself some credit. He was a member of the pirate king's crew and one of their main fighters. Hell, he had even taken down the rest of the Vinsmoke family.

"Now," Sanji rolled over one of the cooks with his foot, "Where can I find Zeff?"

"Right here, boy." Sanji straightened and turned around.

Zeff stood in the doorway leading to the crew's barracks, his arms crossed. He had changed a bit, since Sanji had last seen him. His hat was just as impressive but his hair and mustache were streaked with grey, he had more wrinkles, and he had dark shadows under his eyes. "Old man," Sanji said.

"Eggplant," Zeff shot back. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Owner Zeff," One of the cooks Sanji fought croaked, "We're sorry we couldn't stop him!"

"Quit yer whining and get back to work," Zeff ordered. "The day you beat this kid is the day I eat my hat. Sanji, are you going to answer my question? What are you doing back here? Last I heard you were in the New World with your crew." The cooks scrambled to their feet and staggered back to their tasks.

"We came back. We're trying to stay under the radar."

"Is the rest of your crew with ya? I ain't feeding your captain until tomorrow, we don't have nearly enough food. You could've given us a heads up if you were visiting."

Sanji tensed up at the mention of his crew and bit down hard on his cigarette. "No, I'm here alone."

Zeff stared at Sanji, taking in the young man his eggplant had become. He had burn scars all the way up his right arm, but his hand was unscathed and his left arm had an x shaped scab. His hair was also longer, held back with a leather strip. Sanji also looked… it wasn't anger, and it wasn't sadness, but there was an aura of something hanging around him. His eyes were dull, and his smirk was only half-hearted.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the new cooks in the kitchen watching the two of them warily, and Zeff sighed, "C'mon, brat. You can rest in your room."

"Hope you haven't touched any of my shit, old man." Sanji smirked.

"As if I would dirty my hands," Zeff snapped back, grabbing Sanji's shoulder and shoving him in the direction of his old room. "Get some rest, Eggplant. We can talk later."

"Ah, thanks."

As Sanji heads to his room, Zeff turns an eye on the five others in the kitchen. They jump and tried to look engrossed in their work, but Zeff growls out, "Bother that kid and you'll be off the ship before he can kick you."

"Owner Zeff, who is that guy?"

"That's my son." He left them with their dumfounded expressions and went to find Patty and Carne. They'd probably freak out, so a warning was in order.

...

Sanji emerged after the dinner rush was over, sauntering out onto the deck as if nothing had changed. Patty, Carne, and a dozen other cooks all start crowding him, and Sanji lit up at their enthusiasm.

"Bet you have your hands full cooking for that captain of yours, eh? How'd you handle it?" Patty continued questioning Sanji about his cooking, and other cooks chime in as well, demanding to know about exotic ingredients and cooking techniques he picked up in his travels.

By the time everyone had headed to bed there had been three fights, a cooking contest, and Sanji managed to kick more than a few people overboard. It was a great time, and when everyone finally staggers off to bed Sanji stood on the empty deck with an unlit cigarette in his hand.

Zeff approached him and stood silently, merely offering Sanji a light.

"What happened to your old lighter?" Zeff asked. "The fancy one you stole from me?"

Sanji grumbled something under his breath and took a long drag.

"Speak clearly when you talk!" Zeff slapped Sanji's back, sending the young man stumbling forward.

"Geeze, fine! Someone took it before I left. Must've been the shitty moss head or the shitty sniper. I swear they took it just to mess with me."

Zeff snorted out a laugh, "Serves you right, taking my shit. But, Sanji…" The tone of his voice made Sanji stiffen again, his hands balling into fists in his pockets. "What are you really doing back here? I know you were asked that at least a million times by the other cooks, but I want a real answer."

Sanji slumped forward, his eyes far away. He puffed on his cigarette a few times, and then finally answered, "We disbanded."

"You… disbanded?" Zeff repeated, incredulous. "Why? Your crew rules the seas!"

"We disbanded because the crappy captain got himself killed," Sanji said, and flicked his cigarette away. He pulled out another one from his pocket and lit it with a shaking hand. "Our shitty captain died, so we all moved on. I just got back… We… We buried him last week. Well, we made a grave. Didn't actually have a damn body to bury."

"I… see." Sanji didn't want any words of comfort and Zeff didn't offer any. They stood in a comfortable silence until Sanji's fifth cigarette was nothing but ashes, and then Zeff dragged him back into the ship. "If you want to stay here you've got to work for your board. You'll be in the kitchens until you decide to take off again."

"Shitty old man," Sanji muttered, and Zeff gives him another shove. If his hand lingered on Sanji's shoulder for longer than necessary, he wasn't going to say anything.

...

Sanji fell into his cooking to mask his grief. He got into fights with the people who refuse to pay their bills, he flirted with the women who came in, and he produced food that had people from all over East Blue traveling to taste.

Zeff had to admit that Sanji looked alive in the kitchen. On his days off he would sit and smoke at the back of the ship. While cooking he was moving, laughing with the other cooks, and actually smiling. Even if his smile wasn't as genuine as it could have been, it was better than him moping around the deck. He would tell wild stories about the beautiful angels in the sky, meeting the wondrous mermaids at the bottom of the ocean, and about the two beauties he sailed with.

Sanji stayed with them for two and a half years, and by then Zeff could see that the young man was getting antsy. He'd start fidgeting, cooking elaborate meals at ungodly hours in the morning, and would wander the deck whenever he was kicked out of the kitchen.

"That's it!" Zeff snapped one day. He rounded on Sanji while they were both in the kitchens, "You, little Eggplant, need to get the fuck off this ship."

There was silence in the kitchen and everyone turned to look at the two of them. "Is… Is Sanji getting fired?" Someone whispered.

"I'm surprised Owner Zeff put up with it this long," Someone else whispered.

"The hell, old man?!" Sanji shouted back, "You're kicking me out?"

"That's right, you mooching brat!"

Carne and Patty were off to the side, trying to contain their laughter. Sanji's glare only made them laugh even harder. "Okay, fine. I don't want to stay at your shitty restaurant anyway!"

"Good! Get off this ship and go find the All Blue! I don't want to see your face until you've found it!"

"Fine! I'll find it, and then I won't tell you where it is! You'll have to beg me for it!"

"Fine by me, just get out of here, damn pirate!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Sanji tossed the frying pan against the stove with a loud clatter and he yanked off his apron. Then, terrifying most of the cooks around him, a grin spread across his face as he marched towards the doors. "Before I go, old man, I want to impart some wisdom to these novices here."

Zeff matched his grin, and the cooks cowered, "I suppose a little wisdom wouldn't hurt. You ready to finally embrace your reputation?"

"Apparently I don't have a choice," Sanji shot back, and then abruptly stopped. He spun on his heel, faced the kitchen and pointed, "I want all of you here tomorrow morning."

"But the restaurant's closed tomorrow," Someone pointed out.

Sanji sighed in disappointment, "Complaining? And you claim to call yourself a cook of the sea. No, I want all of you here because I'm going to teach you something you'll never forget."

"And what'll that be?" Someone asked.

Sanji let his eyes rove over the people in the kitchen, all of them staring at him with a mix of awe and horror. "I'm going to show you how to cook a feast worthy of my captain. Worthy of the pirate king!" With that, he marched out of the kitchen and slammed the doors behind him.

"The hell was that about?" Someone asked in the following silence.

"I don't care what he says," Someone else scoffed, "I plan to sleep in on my one day off."

Zeff turned to his cooks, "I wouldn't want to disappoint him, men. He's not lying when he says his captain is the pirate king."

He didn't stay to see their reactions. He followed Sanji out, picking up one of his cigars on the way. He found Sanji in his usual place at the back of the ship, elbows resting on the back railing. He had a lit cigarette hanging from his lips, and the smoke swirled around his head.

"Gimme a light," Zeff ordered gruffly, and Sanji held out the plain silver lighter he had.

"I should be mad about being fired," Sanji said, "But I'm kind of relieved."

"You don't belong in one place, brat. Don't know what you did before I met you, but you've got the soul of a traveller."

"That sounds almost poetic," Sanji snorted. And then, "I was a prince."

"I… What?"

"A prince. My name is Vinsmoke Sanji, prince of North Blue."

"If this is your idea of a joke–"

"It's not. I've always liked cooking. I'd sneak into the kitchens and cook for the prisoners. When the rest of the family found out… Well, I ran away after that. Ended up on the Comet. And then I met you. The rest is history."

"Would you ever consider going back?"

Sanji snorted, "Hell no. We actually ran into them last year. They found out I was alive because of my wanted poster. The new one, not the shitty drawing. They tracked me down, wanted me to marry some chick from Big Mom's family. They did this to me…" Sanji ran his hand over the large scar on his right arm. "It's safe to say they'll never bother me again."

"Hm." Zeff hummed and nodded, waiting for Sanji to continue.

"They all helped me take care of it," Sanji sighed, "Even the moss head. Fuck, those people are loyal to a fault. Makes me proud to call them comrades. We took down Big Mom too, and Kaido. We were so close to Raftel when it happened. Our crappy captain gave up his life so the rest of us shitty people could live."

"What did you do then?"

"We kept going," Sanji said. "Made it to Raftel. Found the shitty treasure, and then came back to build the shitty captain's grave." Sanji's right hand clutched his left forearm right on top of the mark. "We all pledged to him that we'd achieve our dreams, and then we split up."

"Then what's that mark?" Zeff gestured to the x on Sanji's left arm.

Sanji relaxed his hand and pulled it away. "It was the moss head's idea. He cut himself and pledged that he would reach his dreams. Complete the goals we set out to accomplish. We all did the same thing. Used his sword. Freaked Chopper out."

"Then all of you have one?"

"That's right."

"I'm surprised the world doesn't know yet."

"We're pretty good at keeping secrets," Sanji said. "Our fleet agreed to keep quiet too. They're still out there protecting our territories."

Zeff nodded again, "That brat was an interesting one. I was glad when he took you with him. God knows you're too stubborn to listen to reason."

"Then it's a good thing he didn't have any reason," Sanji said. He tilted his head back, staring up at the darkening sky. "He was a complete moron. He ate too much and his manners were atrocious. He'd take the snacks I made for Nami and Robin. But he was a good person. Fuck, I miss them all." Sanji flicked his stub overboard, "It's been almost four years. Three since we split up. Everyone's moved on and gone their separate ways."

"You need to move on, too," Zeff said. "Go and find the All Blue. And you can't do that sitting around here. Your feast tomorrow will be your farewell party. And make sure you clear up those stupid rumours flying around. The rookies are just making them worse."

Sanji laughed, and pulled out another cigarette.

…

The next morning Sanji woke everyone up by parading through the halls, a frying pan in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other. He banged them together, channeling his inner Luffy to be as obnoxious as possible. He would've never even dreamed about doing this back on the Thousand Sunny, because he might have woken up Robin and Nami, but he had no such qualms here.

"WAKE UP YOU LAZY BASTARDS! WE'VE GOT A FULL DAY OF COOKING TO GET TO! ON YOUR FEET!"

Soon enough, everyone had been roused and ended up in the kitchen. Sanji was still brandishing the frying pan as he stood at the far end of the kitchen, all of the stations in sight. Behind him the counter was piled high with many different kinds of meat. "LISTEN UP! Like I said yesterday, this is a feast worthy of a king. The pirate king, if you want to be specific."

Some of the cooks were giving him glazed looks, still too tired to function properly. Others were looking on with disbelief. Those who knew Sanji before he left looked excited, finally getting their chance to cook Grand Line style. One of the older rookies crossed his arms, challenging Sanji. "You expect us to believe you were part of Strawhat Luffy's crew?"

"That's right," Sanji leveled his frying pan at the one who spoke. "Do you not believe me?"

"I think you're using your uncanny resemblance to make yourself look better. Impersonating one of the best cooks in the world isn't going to make you a better chef."

"That's right. It's a good thing I'm not impersonating anyone. Now!" He slammed the frying pan against the stove, making the whole thing rattle, "Let me introduce myself properly am Zeff's protégé, and I was once assistant head chef at this shitty restaurant! I am also Black Leg Vinsmoke Sanji, cook of the Strawhat Pirates. And for today, I am the only person you answer to. Is that understood?"

There was silence after that, and weak murmurs of confirmation.

Sanji grinned. "I thought so. Now, let's get started.

Over the next few hours Sanji shouted orders, demanding a variety of spices, ordering sauces be made, constantly hovering over people's workstations and pointing out the tiniest of mistakes. "You're serving royalty, people! Even the tiniest flaw is a mark against your skills as a chef!" Meat sizzled in pans and on grills, vegetables were included in the dishes with such subtly that when the dish was complete you couldn't tell there were any at all.

Platters were garnished, drinks were prepared, and desserts were on their way. Sanji ordered some of them to take tables out to the main deck and start setting up a buffet. Then the main dishes were brought out, alcohol was at the ready, and then the party began.

Zeff watched Sanji interact with his fellow cooks throughout the entire day, and was glad when he saw his surrogate son acting livelier than he had in a long time. Watching Sanji take over his kitchen had sparked a sense of pride, and the old man tried to imagine Sanji interacting with the rest of his crew. He would have been even happier, being with them. Having the freedom to travel and search for the All Blue… The death of his captain and then their separation had stolen away a large part of Sanji's happiness, and it would take a lot to see it returned. He hoped this night would lift his spirits before he set off again.

The party lasted long into the night, with bodies strewn all about the deck and dining room. All of the food had been eaten, a lot of alcohol had been consumed, and Sanji was gone.

When people started waking up, yawning, rubbing at their eyes and grabbing their heads, Zeff ordered them all back to work. There was a lot of cleaning up to do. He let out a sigh at the grumbling he received in response to his orders, "Damn brat should have stayed long enough to help clean up his mess."

"Sir?" One of the younger cooks asked, "Was he really Black Leg Sanji, the pirate?"

"I've known that brat since he was just a kid," Zeff said, "I watched him set sail with Luffy myself. Sanji is most definitely a pirate."

...

Sanji woke early the next morning, before the sun had risen and stole one of Zeff's grocery boats. He packed as many preserved foods as he could, grabbed a few blankets, some navigation supplies, and then left.

The first day was alright. The weather was fair, and he was still slightly giddy from the party the night before. But after that it became hard. The small boat he was in was creaky and damp, nothing like the sturdiness and warmth of the Sunny. He constantly worried about getting lost with his minimal navigation skills. He wished he had Nami's ability to read the waves and the sky. He wished Nami was there to keep him company. Hell, he even wished the moss head was there to tell him which direction not to go.

He had been on the water for a week, and his food supply was starting to run low.

To his luck he reached the island only a day later. He docked his boat and walked up the slope to the town. He took his time wandering the small selection of stores, picking up preserved meats and vegetables. His last stop was a relatively new looking building, a sign in the window indicating they sold navigation equipment and charts.

A bell chimed when he opened the door, and the two people inside looked up when he entered. The elderly shopkeeper immediately looked back down at the newspaper. The younger one, a teenager with his brown hair in the shape of an onion sighed and stood up. "How can I help you?"

"Charts of the first half of the Grand Line, if you've got them," Sanji answered, looking at the various wares on the shelves around the shop.

The boy began rummaging around in a bin behind the counter, "Do you plan to set out to be a pirate?" He asked. "That's what everyone else says when they stop by for maps."

"Not this time," Sanji said. "Just searching for something."

"This time?" He stood up and turned around, his arms full of several rolled parchments.

"Used to be one."

"Cool!" The boy unrolled the charts for Sanji to inspect. "Did you know that Strawhat Luffy's been to this island?"

The older shopkeeper whacked the back of the boy's head with his newspaper, "Don't go spreading tales, Onion."

Onion frowned, rubbing his head, "I'm not making it up. That's where Usopp went the first time!"

"He may be getting a name for himself now, but he ain't gonna get far hanging off of Strawhat's name."

"He's not!" Onion insisted. "He told us he wanted to make his own name!"

"Stop arguing and finish helping the customer."

Onion glared as the old man flicked his newspaper open and continued reading.

"Sorry about that. Do you want these?"

Sanji nodded, "They'll do. This really is Usopp's home island?"

Onion began rolling the maps, "Yeah, and he's a lot stronger than he looks, so don't try anything funny. Besides, this island is Luffy's territory, and they've got thousands of followers! They'll tear you apart if you try anything."

Sanji shrugged, "Like I said, not exactly a pirate anymore. Besides, Usopp's my friend. I'm not going to do anything to his home."

"Good," Onion said, glancing suspiciously at Sanji. "How do you know him?"

Sanji pushed up the sleeve of his blue button up shirt, revealing the scar on his left forearm. "I was a Strawhat pirate too."

Onion's eyes went wide, and the old shopkeeper looked up. "You're Sanji!"

Sanji smirked, "Yeah."

"This is so cool! We've only met Zoro and Nami, now I've met you, too! That's almost half the crew!"

The old man snorted condescendingly, and Sanji narrowed his eyes, addressing the shopkeeper, "Usopp is a good man, and I hope the people here aren't insulting him."

"After getting Kaya pregnant and leaving?" The shopkeeper shot back. "He may be a good pirate, but he's just like his father."

"Usopp didn't know Kaya was pregnant!" Onion insisted. "He wouldn't have left if he knew! And Kaya wanted him to set sail!"

The shopkeeper huffed, and Sanji, still slightly shocked that Usopp had a kid, said, "Either way, he's making a name for himself now. I'll pass on the word if I see him."

Onion looked torn, but nodded and passed over the maps. Sanji paid and left the shop, waving to Onion as he left. He could see through the window the boy arguing with the old man. As he stepped out the door, he had to sidestep as a toddler ran past him on stubby legs, a blond woman running after him.

"Rakugo, you have to wait for me!"

Carefully, he caught the back of the child's overalls, effectively stopping him from running off.

"But Mama!" The little boy protested, "Pirates is coming! We have ta run!" He pulled against Sanji's hand with a frown.

The blond woman caught up and laughed, lifting the child up on her hip. "Sorry about that sir, Rakugo is very excitable." She patted Rakugo's dark curls affectionately.

Sanji nodded politely and took her free hand, kissing it, "Please, my lady, don't worry. It's my duty to help ladies in distress."

Kaya, as he assumed her to be, smiled with fond exasperation. "Thank you for catching him. He's only two, but he can be a terror."

"Just like his father?" Sanji asked with a smile.

Kaya glanced at Sanji, "Yes. You're not from Syrup Village, are you? You knew Usopp?"

"We were crew mates." Sanji confirmed. "Rakugo looks just like him."

Kaya put Rakugo down when he started squirming, but kept a firm grip on his hand. "Yes. He does. Have… you heard from Usopp recently?"

Slowly, Sanji shook his head, "I have not. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Kaya said. "But… If you do run into him, please tell him to visit. He wants to sail, and I want him to be happy, but I also want my son to know his father."

Sanji promised to pass on the message if he ever saw the sniper, and Kaya walked him down to the docks. She bid him farewell, and Sanji set off towards Loguetown.

...

With his new charts safely stowed and an idea of where he was headed, Sanji set out in a slightly better mood. He plotted the fastest route to Loguetown, and arrived sooner than he expected.

The island was just as he remembered. Marines were abundant, several of them stationed by the docks. They glanced suspiciously at him as he tied up is boat, but Sanji threw a flirty wink at one of them and she started blushing and looked away. He strolled past them with no issue.

As he wandered the streets, he took some time to wander the bazaar, the brightly coloured verandas made the market feel like a festival. The smell of spices and grilled meat lingered in the air, and the sounds of people talking all combined into a general noise that hung about the place.

He didn't have time to properly enjoy the atmosphere the last time he was on the island. And on the other islands they stopped at it was a hit and miss. They all had to be careful of course, they were a very recognizable crew. And the log pose also shortened his time. They usually didn't have the luxury of wandering leisurely. They had to stock up quickly before they were discovered or Luffy did something stupid. So he made sure to enjoy his time at this one.

The one thing that dampened his mood was the fact he wasn't able to buy anything from the place. He was going to be at sea for weeks, and since he didn't have an icebox on his small vessel he needed non-perishable food. But he did but his lunch from a stall selling fried fish.

Finally, he managed to tear himself away from the market and went in search of a grocer. He grimaced as he started listing off some of the things he would need. Salted pork, potatoes and carrots, sea biscuits, Sanji sighed. There were almost no decent recipes he could think of using preservatives.

He decided it didn't matter. No one was going to be with him, and he had no one to impress. He ran a hand through his hair. He loved to impress people. While he sailed with his crew he loved to put on impressive displays. It was art. He had been surprised that Usopp of all people understood his reasoning the best. The younger man had once confided in him about his own art, and shown Sanji his sketchbooks.

And despite the fact Luffy tore through his masterpieces in a rush to shove food down his gullet, Sanji continued to make his art. His reasoning was that he was cooking for a future king. No. He shook his head. That wasn't right. It was because he was cooking for the people he cared about. At least he knew his shitty captain appreciated him.

He found a small grocer a street away from the harbour where he tied his boat. Upon entering, the first thing he noticed was the beautiful woman standing by the shelves behind the counter. Her thick brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun and curious green eyes darted up to observe him as he entered.

"Good morning, sir," She greeted, turning back to her task of stocking spices on the shelves.

"Oh, what a blessed morning it is, to be able to lay my eyes on a beauty such as yourself!" Sanji sauntered over to the counter. "My name is Sanji, my lovely, and I am a cook. I would be honoured if you tasted my food."

"Um… Thank you for the compliment. Are you looking for anything specific?" She gestured to the shelf behind her, looking flustered.

"And the beauty is so very helpful too!" Sanji said, nearly twirling in place. "I am about to embark on a journey, my dear, and I need some supplies that will last me until I've entered the Grand Line."

"Well, we do have a lot of preserved food," The woman said, pointing to the far wall.

"Thank you my dear. May I have the honour of knowing your name?"

"Ah… It's Marina. Please, go take a look around. If you need any help you can just ask."

Sanji started looking through the wares the store offered and started bring supplies up to the counter by the armful. After Marina realized that the man was actually a customer and not someone who wanted to just flirt she opened up to him a bit more.

"Why are you going to the Grand Line?" Marina asked.

"I'm a cook," Sanji said, and then broke into a grin. "Have you ever heard of the All Blue?"

"The All Blue?" Marina repeated curiously, "No, I haven't."

Sanji smiled brightly, "It's a sea cook's dream come true! It's a legend, and people say that in the All Blue there are fish from all of the seas in the world!" Sanji handed over the money he owed.

"That sounds wonderful!" Marina exclaimed. "So you're following your dream? That sounds nice."

Sanji's smile faded slightly, "It's a promise I made to someone important."

Marina bit her lip, noticing the slight change. "Do you want to come visit me tonight? I'll get my brother and my cousin to help you carry all of this to your ship. And then you can pay us back by making us dinner."

"I'd be honoured!" Sanji exclaimed.

Marina called her brother and cousin on a transponder snail, and when they arrived they helped Sanji load all of his groceries into the one room on his ship. Naturally, they were suspicious of him, but didn't object when Marina latched onto his arm and declared he was going to cook them dinner.

Sanji won them over by cooking up an elaborate meal, but Marina's grandmother was still suspicious.

"Don't worry about Grandma Kiva," Marina said, "She's too old to trust easily. Comes with being a retired marine."

"Oh?" Sanji said, "Your grandmother was a marine?"

"Yup, most of my family are marines. Tobias and Fernand are also marines; they were stationed here after Vice Admiral Smoker left in pursuit of a pirate crew."

"I see," Sanji said with a nod.

"Have you heard of him? He's the one who took down the corrupt Warlord Crocodile," Marina said.

"Yeah, I've heard of him. But I've also heard rumours that it was actually Strawhat Luffy who defeated Crocodile."

Sanji watched as Marina's expression turned dark. "That damn pirate just tried to steal the credit from the marines."

"Hm."

Sanji spent the night with Marina, and she sent him off the next morning with a kiss. "Grandma Kiva says that you can come by again and cook for her. Good luck finding your All Blue!"

He left in high spirits, but his jolly mood disappeared after he left Loguetown. The meals he made were bland and lacked his usual flair. The sky clouded over and the temperature started dropping. The next few days were spent trying to keep his boat afloat and on course, and his nights were spent shivering in front of a small oil lamp with a blanket draped around his shoulders.

He was immensely grateful when the weather cleared up, just in time for him to cross Reverse Mountain. It was much easier when the weather was calm rather than the typhoon that they sailed through on the Going Merry. The waves were much smaller, too, and allowed Sanji to maneuver his ship through the nearly invisible opening and sail to the top of the mountain.

Crossing didn't feel right. The water was loud and the wind was cold, just like last time, but it felt so wrong. He entered the Grand Line somberly and as he looked back up at the nearly vertical column of water behind him, he realized what was wrong. He was alone. He had no one with him to share the exhilarating emotions that he should have felt. Maybe he should have asked Marina to come with him. But there was too much of a risk of her finding out his past as a pirate.

As he approached the canal's exit, he recalled the last time he had crossed that mountain. He had been surrounded by people he barely knew, but they had celebrated like lifelong friends. He had declared his dream with the rest of them, without being laughed at. If only he knew then how much those same people would change his life.

He reached the Twin Capes and climbed onto land.

...

Crocus looked older than Sanji remembered. His grey hair had turned white and he seemed to have given up his flower. He hobbled over with his cane.

"Hey old man," Sanji greeted.

"I've been expecting you." Crocus said, and gestured for Sanji to follow.

"Who else has come before me?" Sanji asked, easily catching up and keeping pace.

"Many. I've given up on keeping track. Easier to remember the ones who haven't been through. Just you and that archeologist."

"Robin hasn't come by?" Sanji asked. "Well, she might've gone to West Blue. Wait, the moss head actually managed to get here alone?"

"Surprisingly," Crocus said. "He was the first one to pass by, even before Brook showed up."

"Is Brook here?" Sanji asked, talking a look around. He didn't see any signs of his crewmate. He didn't see any signs of Laboon either. The old man shook his head, and Sanji swallowed hard. "How were they all doing?" He asked.

"As good as you, I'd guess. As good as a crew can be without their captain." Sanji nodded, aware of Crocus' past as a member of Roger's crew. "What about you?"

Sanji shrugged, "I suppose I'm doing okay."

"Same as them, then," Crocus said. "Have you been keeping up with the news?"

"Not really," Sanji admitted.

"There's been a lot of rumours floating around about you guys," Crocus said. "I've seen Garp a few times, dragging around those two apprentices of his. All three of them seem concerned."

"Hopefully our fleet keeps people away from the truth," Sanji said. "But even then, there will still be rumours, especially if there are people posing as us. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened."

Crocus let out a dry laugh, "I heard about that imposter crew from Brook. Ah well, plenty of pirates come through here. Any of them start spouting crap like that, I'll make sure to set them straight."

Sanji shrugged, "At this point all we can do is that. Anyway, can I stay the night?"

…

When Sanji arrived on Whiskey Peak, he docked his small craft at the far end, close to the beach. As he wandered through town, he dodged a variety of people, most of them bandits. He was glad he had decided to keep all of his valuables on him. In a place like this, there's no telling what could go missing.

He needed information, he decided. There was no way he was going to be able to tackle the Grand Line on his own. He had to be careful, too. His longer hair and more serious expression was a good enough disguise over his love-struck expression on his wanted poster, but he was still more recognizable than he had been with his first shitty poster. With this in mind, he wandered into a nearby tavern and took a seat at the bar.

The bartender didn't even give him a second glance and shoved a dirty glass of flat beer in front of him before Sanji could order. Disgusted, Sanji downed half of the stale liquid in one gulp, not wasting food, even if it was something like this. He set the glass down hard enough to get the bartender's attention.

"What?" The bartender droned.

"Are there any ships looking for a cook?" Sanji asked.

The bartender raised an eyebrow, "You ain't from here. If I're you, I'd just keep on movin'. Ya can't trust some o' the people here."

"I know," Sanji snapped. "I can handle myself. I'm just looking for a damn ship, you shitty bastard."

"Insultin' ain't gonna get you anywhere either, brat." Sanji bristled, but the bartender kept speaking. "This place 'as pirates, and not much else 'ere. Unless you're a pirate, I don' see much 'ope fer ya anytime soon. Ya willin' ta become a pirate?"

"Not so much become as I already am," Sanji snapped. "Now are you going to tell me or not? Because if you're going to sit around like a shitty twit and twiddle your thumbs, then I don't see a point in staying."

"Yer already a pirate?" The bartender looked surprised. "Yer skinny as a twig, and ya got on those fancy clothes. Ya look posh. Ya can't be a pirate."

Fluidly, Sanji stood up. "I can't be both?" He shoved a cigarette in his mouth.

"Not in our little world."

"Well then it's a good thing the world isn't small." Sanji slammed a few coins on the table to pay for his unwanted drink and stormed out of the place. Once he was outside he leaned against the wall and lit his smoke, taking a long drag.

If most of the island was like this, then he wouldn't have much luck finding any information. Damn, he wished Robin was there. She was really good at gathering information.

He decided to head back to his boat. Maybe he could find someone to talk to at the harbour. Those plans were dashed, however, when he reached the place his boat should have been and found it gone.

He stood there for all of three seconds in dead silence, and then erupted into a stream of curses that had the people nearby backing away. When he finally calmed down, he thanked whatever deity that was watching over him that he had taken his money with him.

He stormed down the dock, demanding answers from the various workers and sailors he came across. Finally someone told him that the boat had been taken by a couple of boys. A little more prodding revealed that they were local troublemakers, and lived in the better part of the city a ways up the beach.

So there was a better part of town. Sanji muttered angrily to himself as he marched along the beach, following the curve until he found his boat. Or, the remains of his boat.

Half of the wood had been stripped, leaving the bowels of the boat wide open. The sails were gone entirely, as were his supplies. After rounding the boat, he found his food and clothing neatly stacked, hidden from the wind.

"I was gone less than an hour!" Sanji ground his teeth together, crushing his cigarette. "HEY!" He shouted, trying to get anyone's attention.

He caught a rustling out of the corner of his eye, and he turned towards the bushes and trees that lined the beach. One of the larger bushes in front of a cluster of trees was rustling slightly. He approached it silently, the sand muffling his footsteps. He stopped directly in front of the bush and leaned over it to peer behind.

Two boys were crouched behind it, whispering furiously to each other in low tones. Both of them were barefoot, and both of them were covered head to toe in mud.

"Hey, brats." Both of them jumped at the sound of Sanji's voice, and they looked up fearfully.

"Tiger! We gotta… We gotta run!" One of the boys said, grabbing the other and dragging them both to their feet. Sanji didn't give them a chance to escape, reaching down and grabbing the collars of their shirts, one in each hand, he plucked them from their hiding place.

The one called Tiger shrieked in terror, but Sanji paid it no mind. He walked down the beach and set them both down in front of the remains of his boat. He placed his hands on their shoulders, keeping them in place.

"This," Sanji stated sharply, "Was my boat. Why'd you take it?"

The unnamed brat shrugged and tried to twist out of Sanji's grip, but Sanji held tight. "Lemme go!" He demanded.

"I just want to know why you stole my boat," Sanji said sharply. "I can't afford another, so if you'd rather pay for it…"

The boy looked up, incredulous, "You planning to cross the Grand Line in that thing? Moron."

"Yeah! Kuma's right! You should be thanking us for saving your life!" The kid called Tiger piped up.

"That's not the point," Sanji bit out. "You have two choices. One, pay me for it. And two, rebuild it."

"We can't put it back together," Tiger whispered. "An' we don't have any money."

Sanji let out a sigh, "Then why did you take it? Aren't you worried about getting caught?"

"We wanna finish buildin' our treehouse," Tiger said, and Kuma shushed him. "But it's true! Papa once said he lived in a treehouse when he was the same age as us and it sounded cool!" He pointed up, and sure enough there was a roughly constructed wooden structure in the boughs of the branch. A black flag also flew from one of the windows.

"How old are you," Sanji asked.

"None of your business!" Kuma hissed.

"No," Sanji agreed, "But I'm curious. I'm guessing you don't have parents. Am I right?"

"No!" Kuma snapped. "You're wrong!"

That startled Sanji, "You have parents? Then why are you stealing?"

"Mama said Papa was good at stealing. An' we wanna be just like him when we grow up!" Tiger said.

"Can I speak to your parents?" Sanji asked.

"No!" Tiger shouted. "You can't! You'll tell Mama and Papa, and then we'll get in trouble!"

"We just wanted a special pirate hideout," Kuma whispered.

"Pirate?" Sanji took another look at the black flag handing from their treehouse. It didn't have a mark on it, just a piece of black cloth flapping in the breeze. "You two want to be pirates?"

"Yeah!" Tiger shouted enthusiastically. "Papa said that our uncles were pirates! And Papa tells us stories about how cool they are! Hey mister… you're not a marine, are you? Cause if you are, we're totally not gonna be pirates."

Sanji snorted and released the two boys. "Nope. I'm a pirate too kid. Just like you want to be."

"Really?!" Kuma exclaimed. He started grinning, and Sanji prepared himself for an onslaught of questions. But then the grin faded, and both boys started staring at him in terror. No, they weren't staring at him, they were staring past him. Sanji turned around to get a look at what the boys were so afraid of, and saw a rather ordinary looking man approaching.

As the man got closer, Sanji was able to make out more details. The man was tall, and he had wavy blond hair. Burn scars were visible on the left side of his face and his left arm, disappearing under the sleeve of his t-shirt.

"I'm guessing that's your father," Sanji said unnecessarily to the two boys cowering behind him.

"Kuma! Tiger!" Their father called out sharply. And then he abruptly stopped in front of Sanji, a strange expression crossing his face. "Shit, they stole your boat, didn't they."

"These troublemakers yours then?" Sanji asked.

"I'm afraid so," The man said, and then he groaned, "I'm sorry about this. You two, get over here now, before I ground you."

"But Papa!" Kuma protested, and then fell silent at the look his father gave him. The two of them trudged out from behind Sanji and towards the man.

"I'm very sorry about your boat," He said again, and bowed. "You're welcome to come to my house for the night. I'll see about replacing it tomorrow."

"Sure, if you don't mind," Sanji said.

He rose from his bow, "Not at all, it's the least I could do. I don't believe we've met before, have we, Sanji. My name is Sabo."

…

Sabo had been surprised when Sanji didn't react to his name. Especially after he started getting defensive after Sabo had said his name without being introduced. A few misunderstandings later, Sanji finally realized their connection.

"So my idiot brother didn't tell you anything?" Sabo rubbed his temples. "Of course, that's so typical of him."

"That's right," Sanji said. "We didn't know he even had one brother, until we actually met Ace."

They arrived at a decent sized house in the middle-class district. Sabo ushered the boys into the bathroom to clean up.

"I'm actually surprised," Sabo said, once they were seated at the kitchen table. "I mean, to him I had just come back from the dead. And none of your crew mates said anything?"

"At the time there wasn't really a chance," Sanji said. "I was involved with the Vinsmoke family, and then after that we ended up fighting Big Mom. And then after that it must've slipped everyone's mind."

Sabo nodded. "That does sound like Luffy."

"We were planning to go after Kaido, though," Sanji continued. "And after that… We didn't really focus on anything else."

They both fell silent, and Sabo clenched his fists. There was no need to say anything else. "I know… I… I had his vivre card. Can… I still don't know. What happened that day?"

"Blackbeard." Sanji's one word answer had Sabo's fists bursting into flames. "He saved our lives."

Sabo's fire went out, leaving black marks on the table. He looked sad. "Of course he did. Was he… Ace did. I saw it in the paper. But was my little brother… smiling?"

Sanji swallowed hard, and then nodded. "Until the very end."

Sabo breathed out. "Thank you."

…

"SABO!" A female shriek echoed through the house. "YOU SET THE KITCHEN TABLE ON FIRE AGAIN! AND WHY THE HELL ARE THERE MUDDY FOOTPRINTS IN THE HOUSE!"

"Oh shit," Sabo muttered, "I didn't think Koala would be home this early."

Said woman stormed into the living room, where they had relocated after the boys had finished their bath, and abruptly stopped. "Oh! I know you! Sanji, right?"

"Am I seriously that recognizable?" Sanji muttered.

"Oh, no." Koala took a seat in an overstuffed armchair, and the boys climbed up to sit on her lap. "I was a big part of intelligence. I've spied on your crew a lot. But what are you doing here?"

Sabo raised an eyebrow at the boys, who started to scramble away. Koala wrapped her arms around them, effectively pinning them in place. "I think the boys should answer that."

"Is that so?" Koala eyed the two boys, who stared back meekly.

* * *

"Vinsmoke Sanji was very hard to track," Eugene said. "I've managed to find a connection with the Revolutionary Army, and some mentions of _The Red Zeff_. How old is that restaurant, anyway?"

"It is rather old, and has expanded greatly," Rachel said. "The exact date is unknown, and we would be able to look at the deed, but I'll give you three guesses as to who owns the franchise."

"Phoenix Industries," Nicole groaned. "Of course."

Carter looked back and forth between the three of them, "What's wrong with Phoenix Industries?"

"Oh, you weren't here this morning, were you," Seth said. "They like to interfere with history. Makes it almost impossible to access certain sites."

"Oh… Well, have you asked him?"

"The historical society has inquired multiple times about accessing Whitebeard's Island, and the Fairy Verth on Skypia, but we have been denied access every time," Rachel said.

"Well, yeah. But have you gone and asked him personally?" Carter asked. "When I was writing my thesis, I was originally denied so I went and asked him myself. He said yes when I went to speak with him in person."

"Really?" Felix asked.

Carter nodded, "That's right. He seemed like a really nice guy, too. Kinda sad; I mean, he never smiled, but he was polite. Asked me a lot about my research."

"I see," Rachel said, frowning. "Alright. Anyway, Eugene. You said he had connections with the Revolutionary Army? How did he get those?"

"No idea," Eugene said. "He doesn't say in his letter. Also, I finished the secondary translation. Seth, Zack, please don't get into another argument, but the translation I was confused about earlier… It translates directly to 'stupid moss-headed moron'. And his all blue was probably a reference to the All Blue, an old legend."

"See," Seth told Zack smugly, "He wasn't mentally deficient."

Zack just gave him the finger, not moving from where he was carefully dragging bronze wool over one of the knives.

"What's the All Blue legend?" Carter asked.

"It's an old legend about seafood," Seth started explaining. "Apparently there's one place, somewhere in the world, that is home to every type of fish in the world. Sea creatures from North Blue can swim alongside fish from the South Blue, and East Blue, and West Blue. It's supposed to be a cook's dream come true. Able to prepare any type of seafaring dish without having to go to such extreme measures…"

"Sounds pretty lame," Zack said.

"Shut up!" Seth shouted.

"It sounds really interesting," Carter said, and Seth grinned.

"Glad you think so."

"Also," Eugene said, "He mentions meeting up with someone named Sabo, and I'm pretty sure that there's a letter from that guy too."

"Well, get to translating," Nicole ordered.

* * *

Sanji insisted on making dinner, his excuse being that he needed to keep his skills sharp. Koala gave him full range of the kitchen, once she made Sabo fix the table, and he took her up on that. Sabo told Sanji about his time in the Revolutionary Army, and his current paternity leave until his boys were old enough to set out on their own. "We promised them that they could do whatever they wanted when they turned sixteen, so they've still got eleven years left to go. Right now they want to be pirates, just like their uncles. I'm going to warn you now, once they find out you were on my brother's crew they're not going to stop asking you questions until they fall asleep."

Their dinner wasn't anything extravagant, but it was good, going by the sounds Tiger and Kuma were making. Like Sabo had said, Sanji accidentally let it slip that he was part of their uncle's crew, and they continued firing question after question at him. Sanji also expressed his interest in traveling further into the Grand Line, and the next morning Sabo took Sanji to meet an acquaintance.

The acquaintance turned out to be the captain of a rather brave merchant, who was looking for a few new crew members. A cook in particular. The captain's name was Brenan, and he shook Sanji's hand firmly. "We're needing a strong cook. We deliver mostly to places like these, islands overrun by pirates or places other cargo ships are too scared to sail to. Are you up for something like that?"

"Of course. I can fight."

"Good!" Brenan said cheerfully. "Glad to have you as part of the crew."

Sanji shook his head, "I'm just your cook, not a member of your crew. I only answer to one shitty captain, and he's not you."

"Fair enough," Brenan said. "Welcome aboard." He turned and started up the gangway, shouting at some of the people loitering around.

Sabo clapped Sanji on the back, "Hope this is safer than that dingy you had."

"Thanks," Sanji said, "For everything. Really."

Sabo smiled, "No, thank you. My little brother wouldn't have gotten as far as he did without people like you behind him. Good luck, Sanji."

Sabo turned and easily disappeared into the crowd. Sanji stared after him for a moment, and then started up the gangway. "How well do you know that guy?" Brenan asked, as Sanji joined him on deck.

"Why?" Sanji asked.

Brenan shrugged, "He's a mysterious guy. Apparently he's part of the Revolutionary Army. All sorts of rumours flying around about that family. Just wondering if you had some concrete facts."

"Nope. Just that he was my captain's brother."

Brenan eyed him, but then shrugged. "Alright then. Hey! Dominik! Get over here and meet your new cook!" A heavyset man broke away from a small cluster of sailors and walked over. "This is Sanji, he's going to be our newest cook. Wanna show him the ropes?"

Dominik grunted, but gestured for Sanji to follow.

The large man was of few words, but Sanji had to admit he knew his way around a kitchen. They worked well together. Since Sanji was the only new person on the ship, he was constantly the center of conversation with people wanting to know all about him. He dodged the questions, even going as far as physical violence when one particularly nosy sailor wouldn't leave him alone. Hanging around Dominik seemed to reduce the number of people who approached him, and Dominik never asked any probing questions."

"Where'd you learn how to cook?" Sanji asked one day, flicking his lighter open. It sputtered and went out. Sanji grimaced; he'd have to replace it. Damn the person who took his lighter. It was refillable!

"Up north." Dominik answered.

"Huh, me too," Sanji said. "Then I learned from the old geezer."

"How do you fight without your hands?" Dominik asked, not bothering to ask who the old geezer was, and Sanji frowned at the question. Nobody on the ship had seen him fight before, except that one guy he kicked in the head.

"How'd you know that?"

He gestured at his hands, "You have no scars."

Sanji glanced down at his hands, running his fingers across his palms. He had several small white lines on fingers, the barely noticeable scars remaining from his younger years learning how to use a variety of knives. His right arm, from just past his wrist to his elbow was covered in angry scar tissue, a harsh reminder of the so-called family he left behind, and the x shaped cut on his left forearm, a sad reminder of his captain and crew. But nothing on his hands.

He glanced over at Dominik's hands, thick callouses on his knuckles and several fingers that had been broken at one point and hadn't healed straight.

"I fight with my feet." Sanji said.

Dominik was silent, as he stared at Sanji's hands, and his own.

"Can you show me?"

The request took Sanji by surprise, but he slowly nodded. He stood up and moved to the center of the kitchen before going through a few stances.

"That is a good way for a cook to fight." Dominik said.

Sanji smirked. "Thanks. It's been useful."

Dominik nodded, and they went back to working in silence.

…

Sanji stayed with Brenan and his crew for five years, constantly traveling and searching for any rumours about the All Blue. He found several books detailing its legend, but they weren't useful at all, just repeating what he already knew.

He didn't have to fight all that often, and he looked forward to the loads that they brought down to Fishman Island. Apparently Jimbe had bought a large number of straw hats and replica Sniper King masks for the children on the island. He always enjoyed watching the mermaids swim about, and being able to swim with them.

He was welcomed, too. The other people on Brenan's crew didn't understand why Sanji was able to go swimming with the mermaids and they couldn't, and that started creating a rift between him and the rest of the crew.

Sanji didn't care. It meant that he was mostly left alone when it wasn't mealtime. Trying to patch things up, Brenan took a few more jobs away from Fishman Island and picked up a few more crew members along the way.

Being away from Fishman Island had patched things up with the crew, but it was torn wide open again when one of the newer members of the crew asked about Sanji's past.

"Hey Sanji, where'd Brenan pick you up? You seem like an interesting character." A hush fell over the whole room and everyone turned to look at both the speaker and Sanji. The one who spoke started looking pale. "Shit, did I say something wrong?"

"Dude, it's a rule, we never ask him about his past."

"Why?"

"Because he kicked the last guy who asked in the head!"

"What?!"

Sanji raised a cigarette to his lips and waved his hand, "It's fine. You didn't know."

He let out a sigh of relief, "O-Okay."

Another one of the new crew members snorted, "You're scared of him because he kicked a guy?"

"Sanji's a lot stronger than he looks," Someone whispered to him.

"Oh really," The new crew member stood up. "You're strong, are you? Where'd you learn how to fight?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Sanji said conversationally, lighting his smoke. "But if you'd really like to know, I was trained by Red-Leg Zeff in East Blue."

"I've never heard of him," The new crew member said.

"Shame," Sanji said. "Are you going to fight me?"

"Yes!"

"Then I'd like to know your name."

"Jasper."

"Hm." Sanji nodded. "Jasper. Okay, come at me."

Jasper balled his hands into a fist and lunged. Sanji knocked the incoming fist away with his foot and knocked Jasper over, before stepping onto his chest to keep him pinned to the floor. "Bastard! That was cheap!"

"You're still down, aren't you?"

"Shut up! I'm not scared of you! I've faced down Roronoa Zoro and come out alive!"

"Then where's your sword?" Sanji deadpanned.

"Didn't use a sword," Jasper gasped, as Sanji pressed his foot down harder.

"Then that moss head wouldn't have fought you."

"How the fuck would you know?" Jasper demanded.

Sanji just looked at him, puffing on his cigarette. "You want to know about my past? Fine. I'm Black-Leg Sanji of the Strawhat Pirates. The moronic moss head was my crew mate."

Whispers broke out at the declaration, and Sanji continued glaring. "You're lying."

Sanji pressed his foot down a little harder, "Do you want me to prove you wrong?"

Jasper just gasped for breath, his hands grasping at Sanji's foot. A few seconds later Sanji released him, and the man rolled onto his side, gasping for air. "Fuck you."

"Shitty liar."

"Not lying," Jasper coughed. "I've met him. On a cargo ship. Left to go fight Mihawk."

"I see," Sanji said. "Did he win?"

"Fuck if I know."

"Well, we'd probably know if he didn't," Sanji said. It came out harsh, but there was underlying worry in his eyes.

Just then the doors to the galley burst open and Brenan stormed through, "Just what the hell is going on in here! I can hear you yelling from my cabin!"

His intrusion was met by incredulous stares. Sanji stood in the middle of the galley, calmly smoking a cigarette. Jasper was on the floor, gasping for breath, everyone was staring with shock, and Dominik was in the corner, smirking to himself.

"Nothing much," Sanji said, stalking forward. "We were just discussing my resignation. Thank you for these past years, Brenan, but I think it's time for me to move on." He brushed past Brenan on his way out the door.

The ship's captain could only stare at Sanji's retreating back. "Okay, who's going to tell me what the hell happened here?" There was silence, and then everyone started to speak at once. "SILENCE!" Everyone shut up. "Okay, You, new guy, Jasper, right?" Jasper nodded and picked himself up off the floor. "What happened?"

"Sanji's actually Black-Leg Sanji!" Jasper blurted.

Brenan raised an eyebrow, "Okay, who busted out the alcohol?"

Several protests and confirmations had Brenan looking out the door, staring at Sanji's retreating back with wide eyes and an open mouth, "You mean to tell me that we've been sailing with a member of the pirate king's crew for half a decade!"

"Apparently," The first mate said.

Dominik took that moment to walk out the door. "And where do you think you're going?" Brenan demanded.

"With him," Dominik answered, and left.

Sanji was surprised when Dominik followed him from the ship, but he was glad for the company. For the next four years, the two of them wandered up and down the Grand Line. Sanji told Dominik about the All Blue, and the man seemed interested in the legend, but not to the same extent Sanji was.

When Dominik died in a skirmish with a bunch of high ranking marines who recognized Sanji, he stopped traveling for a while. He got a job at a restaurant on a nondescript island and started saving money for a ticket back to East Blue. It was a good enough job. He flirted with the women who came by and the dining room had a great view of the harbour.

He spent six years there, but when he finally had enough he bought a ticket aboard a freighter going across the Calm Belt into East Blue. He had no trouble boarding, but he figured that was because he changed so much he barely resembled his wanted poster anymore.

When he finally returned to East Blue and the freighter docked in Loguetown, he ran into Marina again, who smiled brightly and started talking about his promise to return.

It took a moment for Sanji to remember her, but he played it off well. He gladly accompanied her back to her home. He felt guilty for not remembering her, but in his defence the only girls he thought about lately were Robin and Nami. Sure, he would still flirt, but he didn't have the same vigour he did when he was younger.

Seeing her again brought it back full force, and he started inquiring about her life since they had last seen each other.

"Grandma Kiva passed away a few years ago," Marina said, "But she liked you. Father doesn't like you, even though you've never met, but he's just being an overprotective parent. Toby and Fern moved out and started their own families, so it's just you and me here."

"Ah, your family is so fascinating, my angel," Sanji swooned.

"They visit a lot. I'm sure they'll be happy to know you've come back, I know Toby misses your food, even if he won't say it."

Sanji laughed, and then began telling Marina about his travels when she asked.

A couple weeks later, Marina warned Sanji that her mother was visiting. "She's not as overbearing as Father, but please put on a good impression for her. Dad won't be coming for at least another six months, he's so busy he can barely get time off."

"Don't worry, my darling. I'll be on my best behaviour!"

Marina's mother looked very much like her. She greeted Sanji cautiously but warmed up after her first meal with him. "Where did you learn how to cook, my boy!" She exclaimed. "This is absolutely amazing!"

"I was taught by my mentor at the Baratie," Sanji answered, "And I have travelled far to improve my skills. I am glad you're pleased with my food, madame."

She looked at her daughter, "I approve."

Marina laughed, embarrassed, and then got up to help Sanji with the dishes. Sanji waved her away, claiming that a lady shouldn't have to busy herself with menial work and to catch up with her mother. He joined them in the living room later, bearing a teapot and desserts. They spent the evening in quiet conversation, Marina's mother drilling Sanji with questions about his life. He didn't reveal much, only that he travelled around cooking. It was the best story to stick to, and he didn't have to give anyone specific names if he was constantly on the move. He did mention Dominik, though. He also mentioned that he was still unsuccessful in his search for the All Blue.

Marina's mother was a pleasant person and he enjoyed her company. Half a year later, though, he discovered who Marina's father was. He had been helping Marina clean the house in preparation for his visit, and Marina pulled out an old photograph to show him.

"Akainu is your father?!" Sanji nearly shouted, barely keeping himself from stumbling back.

"I know it's a surprise," Marina said with a smile, mistaking Sanji's panic for awe, "He didn't want anyone to know he had family, just in case pirates wanted to get revenge against him. I know the Whitebeard Pirates have a vendetta, and the Strawhat Pirates."

"I-He…"

"You don't have to worry," Marina said, "He may seem scary, but I'll make sure he's nice to you."

"That's… Not the problem," Sanji said.

"Besides," Marina continued, her smile widening as she unconsciously placed a hand on her lower stomach, "The rest of the family is going to be visiting too. I have a big announcement to make."

Sanji didn't answer, still staring at the photograph on the mantle, and Marina went back to dusting. That night, after the dishes were cleaned up, Marina joined Sanji on the porch as he smoked. She wound her arms around him and pressed herself against his back.

"Are you mad at me for keeping it a secret?" Marina asked.

Sanji blew out a lungful of smoke, "No, darling. I'm not mad. It's just… Akainu has killed a lot of people."

"Only pirates, though," Marina said. "He's never killed a decent person."

"Some pirates can be decent people," Sanji said. "And even still, we're all still human."

"Don't be silly," Marina said. "Pirates are pirates."

"Dear, would your father kill me?"

Marina pulled back, shocked, "Of course not! I love you!"

"What if I were a pirate?"

"You're not," Marina said firmly, "So it doesn't matter."

"But if I was?" Sanji pressed, turning around and grabbing her hand.

"You're a good person." Marina insisted. "You're not a pirate."

Sanji shook his head, "That's not the point. You're not answering my question."

"I shouldn't have to answer a question like that," Marina snapped.

"Does your father even see pirates as people?"

"Why?"

"Because that's something I live by, as a cook. A hungry scumbag is a hungry human first. Does your father look at pirates and think that they're people? Or vermin?"

"Sanji!" Marina shouted, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "That's not fair!"

"Isn't it?" Sanji asked. "I am a pirate! I'm a powerful pirate and I've got a bounty on my head! Are you going to see me as scum now, just because of that?"

Marina jerked back, yanking her hands out of his. "You're a pirate?!" She shrieked.

"I'm more than just a pirate, I'm a Strawhat Pirate. I'm sorry, Marina, but if you can't see those I care about as human, I don't think this is going to work."

Marina was trembling, and tears were streaming down her face. "You… You filthy pirate!" She shouted, "You tricked me! You used me! I hate you! Get out of here, get out! I never want to see your face again!" She fell to her knees, curled over and hands pressed against her stomach.

Sanji left. He grabbed his stuff and made quick time to the harbour. He felt guilty about making Marina cry, but he couldn't do anything without making it worse. Briefly he wondered what her big announcement was. (Had he stayed he would have learned she was pregnant. She ended up naming the child after her grandmother).

Sanji spent the next few years wandering, taking odd jobs and doing anything he could to get by. He stopped by the Baratie a few times; Zeff was getting impatient with him, still not any closer to finding the All Blue. His first visit back, Carne handed him a very familiar lighter and said that Zoro had dropped by, with a very lovely lady on his arm, and returned it.

Sanji's curses could be heard for miles.

He had just entered the Grand Line again; for the last time, he told himself. He was nearing fifty, his joints ached, and he was having more and more trouble breathing. When he arrived at the Twin Capes, he discovered Crocus was gone. Not all that much of a surprise, really. The old man was over a hundred years old by now.

He broke into the house, finding it covered in dust, and spent the night. The next morning, he fished for his breakfast. He reeled in a few fish, a couple sunfish from South Blue and some cod from the north, but one big one managed to pull his rod into the water.

Sanji cursed, and dove in after it. He caught up with the rod and grabbed hold, squinting through the salty sting of the water to see a large tuna. He recognized the fish, having prepared it all the time at the Baratie. It was a favourite of the chefs because it could be caught just off the ship.

Sanji swam up and managed to wrestle the fish onto shore. And then he stopped dead. Sunfish from South Blue. Codfish from North Blue. Tuna from East Blue. Oh, shit.

He turned and looked up at Reverse Mountain. It was viable. The rushing waters at the base of the mountain in all four blue seas had a massive current, so strong that even ships couldn't break free of it. Fish from those seas would get caught in the current and be dragged into the beginning of the Grand Line. Once they were here, they couldn't go back, and they couldn't head into the Grand Line because of the extremely erratic weather just beyond the Twin Capes.

Sanji raise his arms above his head, hair dripping wet and clothes plastered to him, and then shouted in victory. He cheered, dancing around the cape until he was wheezing for breath, and then he dove into the water again. All kinds of colourful fish surrounded him, from every corner of the sea. He had finally found the All Blue!

He lay on his back, laughing loudly, letting the water flow through his hair. Something nibbled on his hand, and Sanji tried to guess which sea it was from. North? South? East? West? He didn't care. He had found it. He had finished Zeff's dream, he had found his own dream, and he had kept his promise to his captain.

He wrote to Zeff immediately, once he had calmed down. He decided to build a restaurant on the Twin Capes, and as he started building he got a response from Zeff. Apparently the old man was on his last leg.

Sanji took a break from building and travelled to the Baratie, and arrived just in time to say goodbye to the man who had become his father. Carne offered Sanji the position of head chef, but Sanji turned it down. He had his own restaurant to start running. Patty scoffed when Sanji told them he found the All Blue, but Sanji brushed it off. He left the sea restaurant for the last time after the funeral and decided it was time to go see Luffy.

He hiked up the mountain alone, hauling his best knives, and sat himself down in front of his grave when he arrived. "Hey, you crap captain," Sanji said, picking out one of Zeff's old fancy cigars. He had stopped smoking a while ago, but he figured he could indulge one more time. "So I finally found the All Blue. I'm gonna build a restaurant. Hope that wherever you are there's plenty of meat. Here, I'll even leave you my best knives, so whoever's cooking it for you will have an easier time." He set the knives down beside a bright silver piece of rock with an old symbol etched on it.

He lit his cigar with the lighter Zoro stole, and set the lighter down beside the knife case. He didn't plan on ever smoking again, so he wouldn't need it. When his cigar was nothing but ash, he stood up, hearing his joints crackle and pop, and smirked. "Thanks for everything, Luffy."

He grabbed the old glimmering amulet and flicked it open. "Ha!" Sanji laughed. He closed it and wiped away a stray tear trailing down his cheek. "See you soon, captain."

When he left the island he handed the beautifully-aged Makino a letter. "Only Nami needs to come by now," She told him. "And everyone will have left something behind for him. Even Franky had someone come by in his place."

…

Sanji lived out the rest of his life at the base of Reverse Mountain. He finished his restaurant, half built into the rock and half wooden. It became a popular spot for new pirates heading out on their adventure and for old ones returning to the blue seas. Many members of the Strawhat Fleet would stop by, and after a few attacks he decided to fly the Strawhat Flag above his restaurant. Attacks practically stopped after that.

When he finally did succumb to lung disease, he left the restaurant to his surrogate son, who was left behind by a passing pirate crew and never returned.

Either way, Sanji lived out the remainder if his life happy.

* * *

"I've finished restoring the knives," Zack said, presenting them to Rachel.

"Wonderful!" Rachel clapped her hands together with a smile. "Now do you still have enough supplies to do the sword?"

"Yes," Zack grinned and eyed the white sheath sitting under a class case nearby.

"Then get started on that."

The team regrouped under the tent, and Carter delivered the news that the university had granted the CEO of Phoenix Industries permission to visit the site.

"I have the schedule here," Carter said, holding out a printed email. Rachel took it and pinned it to a nearby cork-board. "He'll be coming next Wednesday and staying for a week and a half."

"I just hope he doesn't buy out the site," Nicole said, "At least not until we've finished excavating."

"I'm sure it'll be alright, Nicole," Seth assured her.

"But if he does, we need to step up our game," Nicole continued. "Alright, the knives have been restored? What else have we found about Black-Leg Sanji's movements? Eugene, have you finished translating Sabo's letter?"

Eugene held up his translation of Sanji's letter. "Even without seeing the deed, it says here that Sanji was the one who built _The Red Zeff_. He built it at the base of Reverse Mountain, where the All Blue is apparently located. And according to Sabo's letter, uh, say, did Strawhat Luffy have any brothers?"

Seth whipped his head around at Eugene's words, "You mean the All Blue has actually been found?!"

"That's what it says here," Eugene said. "Something about the currents and weather. Anyway, according to older records, he spent the last seventeen years of his life there."

"What about the Baratie?" Felix asked. "Didn't he work there, too?"

"Well, the two restaurants merged into a single corporation about a hundred years later," Eugene said. "Old alliances coming into play or something like that. The current head chef of the Baratie at the time, Mignon, married the current owner of _The Red Zeff_ , Yoma, and the two of them started creating the restaurant chain across all the blue seas."

"And then fifty years ago the franchise started that stupid fast food chain, the Red Baratie," Seth muttered. "I hate fast food! It takes all the fun out of eating."

"Dunno," Felix said, "I sure like the place."

Seth grumbled.

"Anyway, Strawhat? Brothers?" Eugene prompted.

"No," Rachel said. "There's no record of him having any siblings."

"Because Sabo signs his letter, 'Love your big brother, Sabo,'" Eugene said.

"Sabo was the chief of staff of the Revolutionary Army," Rachel said. "If they were brothers, does this mean he has even more connections with the army than we originally thought?"

"Seriously?" Nicole grouched. "Damn it all. Now we have to go and do even more research on top of all of this!"

"The Revolutionary Army was pretty big on stealth and secrets. It was only a few decades ago that the original officers in the army were named. Maybe it wasn't recorded because of the secrecy he kept his name away from Strawhat Luffy's?"

"Maybe. But now I have to go dig up birth records," Nicole said. She stood up, "I'll have to take a few days to go through the databases. I trust you all can handle yourselves with supervision?"

"Course, missy!" Felix gave her a thumbs up.

"We're doomed," Nicole sighed.

"Don't worry!" Seth said cheerfully, "I'll take you out for dinner tonight, that'll make you feel better, my dear!"

"In your dreams!"

* * *

 **Hi all! Here's chapter 4 for you. It might be a while before I post the next chapter, I'm going in for surgery tomorrow, and I'm getting ready for school to start. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!**


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